Katawa Shoujo: Ryuuji's Story
by skittleslol
Summary: Ryuuji Kousaka, just your average high school student with a not so average eyesight. Follow his small slice-of-life as he enters the new world of Yamaku high, and a few years after. An original character story involving an original character with an original character. Runs parallel to a certain route we all know and love.
1. Prologue: Setting Up

**A/N:**

**The BGM part is something I added to give it more of a visual novel feel. The music is taken from Katawa Shoujo's soundtrack, which you can get from the KS website for free.**

**DISCLAIMER: All credit for Katawa Shoujo belongs to 4LS. That includes the BGM titles I put up here. Unless they're from NicolAmarfi's (Katawa Shoujo's resident composer) YouTube channel. Then that music belongs to him.  
All original Katawa Shoujo characters belong to 4LS too. I own none of them. Class 3-1, whose characters may also come up during the course of the story, is based on submitted characters for the Katawa Shoujo Fan Character contest in KS's DeviantArt page. All credits go to their respective creators. Yeah, they may be OOC at times, but I don't think OOC is a crime... right?  
**

**Except for my original characters, whose similarities with people, living or dead, or about to live, are purely coincidental.  
**

**Happy reading!  
**

* * *

**PROLOGUE: Setting Up**

The carriage rocks slightly as the train moves towards the city. I sit in my compartment, my cane set next to me where I can easily reach it. I lean against the cold, hard window, almost feeling the countryside pass by. Of course, I can't see any of those now. The brailler jumps around on the table in front of me as the carriage rocks around.

When I was a child, I've always loved travelling by trains, watching the countryside pass by. The greenery always fascinated me, and in the winter, the huge blanket of white snow. Now, only the smell of grass tells me that I'm passing through the countryside.

Retinitis pigmentosa is a cruel disease to have. It allowed me to see the world in all its beauty before and slowly took everything away. At first, it was just some minor annoyance, with the poor vision. Then the inability to adjust to light set in. Then the night blindness. The inability to focus on objects. And then slowly, slowly but surely, my vision dimmed, until it was no more.

It was this disability that led me to that place. The place where I met my wife. The place where I met the first woman I ever fell in love with… and the last.

I sit in silence as I listen to the click-clack of the train's carriage on the tracks, the brailler lying forgotten on the table top. The rhythm of the sound and the rocking soon make me drift to sleep, into the world of dreams… the same dreams I've had for the last few days.

This is my story… as I saw it with my own eyes.

* * *

BGM: Fripperies

I wake up feeling quite refreshed, and, after a quick breakfast, I head down to the station to catch the train. My vision's a bit blurrier, though. Maybe I do need to go to that ophthalmologist again. She's going to grind me out though, seeing as I've just been there a month ago. Probably say it's because of my computer, or something.

Well, I guess that may account for it, but it isn't entirely the case. I've got retinitis pigmentosa, which slowly, but surely, robs me of my sight. I've already got trouble adjusting to light in places, and am all but blind at night. Thankfully, classes end just before then.

I arrive at my stop this chilly January and enter the school building. I pick up my things and settle down for the boring day ahead. I meet up with my friends, have lunch, and finally, rejoice with them as the school bells chime the end of the day.

"Ryuuji-san, do you have a minute?" asks our class rep. She's a bit meek, but god help those who unleash her evil side. I know better than to say no.

"Of course, iinchou."

"See, we need some more members to help clean the grounds. Maybe you can help?" she says, smiling. Nope, I definitely can't say no to that smile. Especially since it reminds me of that girl from that anime who had the same smile just before axing a guy's head off.

BGM: Nocturne

I sigh as I work on the school's courtyard, shoveling snow to the sides, trying to make everything presentable. The school's inspection is going to be held sometime this week, so it's understandable that they'd make us do this. It's getting dark, though, so I am a bit nervous. I look for the class rep and tell her I need to go out. Thankfully, she doesn't flip out on me and even gives me some pudding as a reward, knowing fully well what my problem in sight was.

"Please be careful going home," she says. "I'm sorry I had to make you help, but we really needed to get this done!"

She adds a small, sincere smile after that, and my heart thaws a bit at her expression. I guess this is for the good of all.

I walk down the steadily darkening streets of the city, passing intersections upon intersections looking for the station home. My walking costs me nearly too much time as the lights grow dimmer. Thankfully, the streetlamps go on just as my vision goes completely dark, and guide me to the station. Now it's just one last block, intersection and—

Suddenly everything's pitch black. A blackout, at this time? The crossing lights are still on, however, so it might just be the streetlamps going off, probably because of low maintenance. I watch as the lights on my side go red, and the walking man signals the all clear. Now to just cross this one last intersection…

BGM: Cold Iron

I start walking, and just when I near the other end, a bright light appears on my peripheral vision, followed by a painfully loud horn. I turn towards it, as though in slow motion, and a force hits me at Mach speed. Well, maybe not, but it's painful either way. My glasses fly off as I get thrown airborne by the collision. I land painfully on my back, a few meters away from where I was. I try to look up, and through my blurry vision, I see a red light turn to yellow, then green.

Hit by someone who ran the red light, huh? Such a boring death. I try to keep conscious as long as possible, hearing people stop their cars around me, some with urgent voices, and some with curiosity. The ambulance sirens sound in the distance, and I lose consciousness just as the flashing lights of the ambulances come into view.

BGM: Caged Heart

The next thing I know, I wake up in the hospital, barely able to move. "Sedatives", as the doctors called it. Or maybe just the fact that every square inch of my body is in a cast. It was painful, the first few days I was awake, as the sedatives wore off slowly. The driver was, apparently, apprehended a few hours afterwards. I didn't really care much about him, or her. I just wanted to go out of this hell hole.

The class rep visited around three days after. It was sad, really, seeing her blame herself for my accident. I tried to reassure her the best way I could, but couldn't form the words properly. She nearly cried herself to death, then and there, and I couldn't do anything about it, encased in a solid cast.

That would haunt me for the next five or six months that followed, as I drifted in and out of consciousness, barely registering when my parents came to visit. Or my classmates. Or even anyone, in particular. Soon, the visitors dwindled, little by little, until it was only my parents and a select few that came.

Class rep was one of the last to disappear. I never really knew why. Maybe she had something for me? Or maybe she felt guilty that much. It would suck if that was the reason, though, being visited by someone because of plain pity. No matter what her reason was, she kept on smiling, and trying to help me out of my steadily increasing depression, up until the day she stopped visiting. That would be the last day I'd see her.

Encased in plaster, I watched time pass around me. Or, as my friend would put it, process happened around me. One by one, the casts went away, and finally, as the end of May passed and June came, I was free.

"Ryuuji, how are you today?" asks the doctor. I give him a small smile in return. Thankfully, against all odds, I've fully recovered from the crash. However, there's something about him that feels off.

"I guess I'm good to go, right doc?" I ask him, fearing what would be his answer.

He sighs heavily, and turns to me with a serious look on his face. "See, I've been talking to your parents about this. We think that it might not be a good idea for you to return to your old school. It's a bit too dangerous, according to them, especially after your accident."

Someone knocks on the door and the doctor stands to open it. It's my parents, though I don't know what to say to them. Should I be happy that I'm finally free? Or should I be sad because I can't go back to my old school? I settle on being silent.

"I guess the doctor already told you about your transfer?" asks my dad.

I nod, slowly, and my mom, seeing my depression, tries to cheer me up.

"Don't worry. It's a good school. We've been there, and it's perfect for you. It's quiet and serene," she says, and like an afterthought, adds: "and lots of beautiful girls too!"

Well, that cheered me up a bit, especially that little joke. I can't help but chuckle a bit.

"All right, I'll go to the school," I say, sitting up from the bed. My joints creak a bit from lack of use, but it'll be fine. It's not like I'll have to take a routine medication anyway, since it was mostly fractures and mental trauma.

So after a few short goodbyes to my classmates at my old school, and a few more packing, measuring for new uniforms, and basically just preparing, I head of to my new school. A whole new world. After a while on the trip, I realize I'm actually excited about my new life.

* * *

**Post A/N: **

**Hello everyone! This is the first fiction that I've written, and I hope it wasn't too bad. Please leave a review so I can improve future chapters, and if you can, point out some parts, like grammar error or spelling mistakes or just mistakes in general. English is not my native language, after all.**

** If the BGM parts gets too distracting, or if you don't like it in general, just tell me and I'll get rid of it.  
**

**All that said, thanks for reading! I'll upload the chapters around weekly, or as time allows me, so I can finish and polish them. Good day/evening to you all!  
**

**~M. Q. A. a.k.a. skittleslol  
**


	2. Act I, Part I: Player One, Start!

**ACT 1: f-Stop**

**Part 1: Player One, Start!**

Wrought iron gates. Red bricks. This is pretty nice for a school. It makes you feel special indeed. Then again, it is one of the most prestigious schools in the country, and they call it a "school for the disabled". Hey, if being disabled means having to stay here, I won't mind it at all. Though maybe that's just because my disability's a bit light compared to the others'.

"Ah, you must be Kousaka, right? I'm your new homeroom teacher, you can call me Takasu, if you'd like," says the man standing in front of me. "Do you want to introduce yourself to the class?"

"Yeah, isn't that the norm?" I ask.

"Let's just say that here in Yamaku, there are… others who'd rather not face crowds. I remember Mutou from 3-3 had that problem in his class a few days ago. Or two, for that matter."

We walk in silence towards the classroom, through halls that look the same at every turn. The same off-white walls and art hanging around every junction.

I still think my parents over reacted a bit with sending me to Yamaku. True, I may have retinitis pigmentosa, and worse vision that normal, but it's still a few years until I can no longer see. And having a hard time adjusting from light to dark and vice versa is not a reason to go into a school for disabled people. Or maybe it's justified, seeing as there's little to no cars on the way here. It's quite peaceful, actually, what with the lack of horns, rumbling, and smoke from the big city.

I sigh and follow Takasu through the winding halls, until we stop in front of a door with the sign 3-1.

He opens the door and beckons me to enter. Oh boy, this is going to be an interesting Thursday. I take a deep breath and step through the portal into my new world…

Wait, this is a new world, right? Strangely enough, my new class looks… like my old one. The same bored looking students, dressed in the same plain uniforms as the other schools. Well, maybe the uniforms are a bit different than normal, but they all look like normal students.

I introduce myself in probably the most boring way of all. "Good morning everyone, I'm Ryuuji Kousaka. I hope to be good friends with all of you, and all that."

The class stares at me, as if egging me to go on. I don't really know what to say anymore. Should I continue with my hobbies? Or my… "disability"?

"Er… my hobbies include photography, and reading, and I also… do some bit of shooting."

Oh, right. I forgot about that. I did some shooting a few years back, when my sister was still in that University and part of a rifle-pistol team. But that's all in the past now, though I still practice a bit in the family farm with a rifle my dad bought.

Sharing my hobbies seemed to perk everyone up, especially the shooting part. They must be wondering how I could shoot with my bad eyes. I hear the ripple of murmuring around, and I'll probably have a rumor going starting tomorrow, but what the heck. As long as everyone is happy, I'm happy. I unconsciously shake my head at the normalcy of things.

Takasu gestures me to go to him and I oblige. "So, Kousaka, seeing as you'll be part of our little family now, why don't you go familiarize yourself with everyone? Yuki will be your guide, she's your new seatmate," he says, gesturing to the empty seat in the center aisle.

I thank him and walk to my desk.

As I near my desk, my seatmate-to-be looks at me with eyes that seemed to study my very soul. It makes me feel a bit… uncomfortable, to say the least. Oh well, seeing as I'll be her seatmate for the next few months or so, I might as well talk to her.

"So, uh… hi!" I say. This is probably the lamest you could do meeting a girl for the first time. I feel my inner self shrug at my progress.

She returns my greeting with a shy nod, and I sit down. Her open notebook is full of scribbles, but from what I can pick up, she's writing a draft for a short story.

"Oh, so you write?" I ask her. She quickly hides her notebook, blushing a bit.

"Yes, but I'm not that good at it, yet. I'm part of the school paper, actually. Yuki Hiromu, at your service," she says, giving me a small smile.

"That's nice," I say, trying to continue the conversation the best I can. "What do you write, anyway?"

She blushes again and fidgets. "Um… it's… fan fiction. About this game I played a while back."

A gamer, huh? Though if you can write that long a fiction for a game, then that would mean… it's a visual novel!? Or maybe just some RPG, yeah. I might just be overreacting.

"Wait, fan fiction about a game, you played an eroge?" I blurt out. It seems my mouth is faster than my brain. My inner self facepalms again. That was not the right choice of words, clearly. Heck, if this was a written visual novel, I would be running down the bad end. Like a rooftop picnic where you get drunk, or something. But what are the odds of that happening?

She buries her face further in her notebook like she's going to phase through it and into whatever world she may have written. I really need to stop scaring my seatmates. Especially seatmates I get at the start of my new life. It hasn't been an hour yet I've already made her feel awkward. Oh how am I ever going to make this up for her.

She peers out of her notebook, nodding gently. She's really shy, is she?

"Yeah, it's a visual novel. I don't really consider it an eroge since it's not really based on the H-scenes," she says, dropping the notebook. She smiles at me, still blushing a bit. Good thing my disability's visual, not cardiac. Else I might've had a heart attack then and there.

"It's this visual novel about that school for the mentally handicapped, where the main character's problem is just serious obsessive-compulsive disorder…"

She continues on about the novel, explaining in detail about the different girls. I sit there, half listening, half just plain staring at her. She's really into it, and it already scares me. Like she's hiding something. Thankfully the bell rings just as she finishes, and I stand to go to the canteen.

Wait, where is the canteen, anyway? I stand there for a while, like a lost man, because I may be, literally, lost. Not really, since I'm still in the room, but lost as in I've got no idea of where to go. My self-reflection is broken when I feel someone tugging on my cuff.

"I-I'll take you there," comes a reply from my side. Wait, did I think that out loud or is she telepathic? All thoughts about hidden supernatural powers are gone from my mind, however, when something suddenly latches onto my arm.

"Uh… Yuki?" I ask, stunned by the sudden turn of events. Even in a visual novel, it would be early to trip this flag. But I know, deep inside of me, my inner self is high fiving my other inner selves. Yeah, I'm a lucky bastard, all right. Especially when you've got a petite girl with long black hair clinging onto your arm. On your first day of class. In a new school. While you're still a total stranger to others, let alone her.

She blushes a bit, and replies, her voice barely a whisper. "I forgot my cane today. Please bear with it. I can't walk that well."

I nod in understanding and let her guide me through the hallways of Yamaku.

We pass a couple of classrooms along the way to the canteen. It seems like a longer way to the canteen, but I guess it's to show me around the campus, or at least the third floor. She did have the duty of showing me around the school, after all.

The first classroom we pass is class 3-2. "This is 3-2, a special section, of sorts," says Yuki, pointing out the students. A blond, tall girl seems to be their class representative, with the way people flock to her in the rush of things. A messy haired boy wearing a magical-looking scarf looks like he's trying to sneak out, crouched low. All that's left would be an orange box.

"Special? In what way?" I ask.

"Well, they're all legally blind," replies Yuki, in an almost offhand way. Maybe people are more open about disabilities here and I shouldn't try to step around too much. Maybe.

"Ah, I see. And seeing as I can still use my eyes with these glasses, and even use them without sometimes, I guess I'm not qualified for this section."

She chuckles a bit from my snarking, and we continue on. I notice the tall girl exit and enter the next classroom, Class 3-3, which is more like our classroom, and is a mixed section. She talks with what looks like the class representative of 3-3. A girl with short, cropped, blue hair and glasses. Well, 'talked' is, I suppose, the wrong term to use here, as the Class 3-3 rep seems to be either deaf, mute, or deaf mute. Thankfully, she has a rather lively interpreter that allows us to hear almost the entire discussion. Something about late papers. A guy with messy hair hovers near them, as well as a purple-haired girl who appears to be trying to cast an invisibility spell on herself, with the way she's hiding.

"Hmmm, better move on, Ryuuji. I don't want to get caught in their fight," interjects Yuki, who I barely hear over the voice of the pink-haired interpreter. I nod and we walk quickly. I take one last look and it looks like the guy is trying to defuse the situation. Thankfully.

"So who were those people?" I ask.

"The blue-haired girl is Shizune Hakamichi, the school's Student Council president. Her interpreter is Shiina Mikado, or Misha, as she likes to be called," she says, then leans closer and whispers. "I hear they're the only people in the school's Student Council."

We walk past other, numerous unmarked doors and join the flow of students into the canteen.

"The others, I don't know them much," she continues. "I think the blond girl was Lilly Satou, Class 3-2's representative. She used to be in the council, but left. I don't know why. The purple-haired girl, I only know by face, so I don't know her name. And the messy haired boy is a newcomer, like you! Only he came in the start of the week."

She laughs at my apparent tardiness at attending school and guides me to the lower floors, where the canteens are located. It's not as packed as I expected it to be. Then again, there are just a few people in the whole school. I manage to grab my, and Yuki's, lunch and head on over to a table to sit with her.

"So, anything you do here after school?" I ask her.

She thinks it over for a while, and replies.

"Well, there are clubs. I'm in one, myself, the newspaper club. Though there are others that may pique your interest, like the photography club."

"Hmmm… I don't really think photography club suits me. I do like photography, but I'm not that addicted to photography."

She seems to lighten up at my words, and a somewhat mischievous smile forms on her lips. It's like a totally different person than the meek one I've seen. Did I just trip a flag?

"We're actually missing a very important member in the newspaper club. A photojournalist. We usually just take pictures from the photography club, but lately they've been… uncooperative."

She now looks fuming, almost to the point of blowing up. I guess the photography club did them a great big wrong. It scares me, really. Just like class rep from the city. Maybe I should also tread lightly around Yuki.

"I don't know. I might get the receiving end of your rage there, if I don't live up to your expectations," I reply, bracing myself for the impact. Thankfully, it never happens. She returns to her quite normal self.

"Well, we could use some help for the coming festival, and we'd be glad if you could. Besides, I think you'll be taking pictures anyway, right?" she says, smiling. She is right, though. I'm going to take pictures, and it's not going to hurt any to give some of my shots and –

"Wait, there's going to be a festival?" I blurt out.

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you," she says, sticking out her tongue and knocking herself on the head. Oh so cute. "There's going to be one, this Sunday about… I don't really know. It's like a noodle incident or something."

Well, that sums it up. I'll be pretty bored during the coming festival if I won't do anything, anyway, and it's good to work with others for a change.

"All right, I'll try it out. And maybe even join the club as a member. That is, if you're not going to make me write," I add, jokingly. Yuki catches on to this, thankfully, and chuckles..

We hear the bell ring, signalling the end of lunch and walk back to the classroom. Well, maybe my life here wouldn't be so bad, after all.

* * *

**Post A/N:**

**Hello everyone!  
**

**Thanks to those who left reviews on the first chapter! Based on those reviews, I decided to drop the BGM parts. I think it also makes the story flow smoother. You could always play anything you like, anyway. And as for the other review... well, all I can say is that it will NOT run parallel to Shizune's route, so don't worry about that.  
**

**Next chapter will be a week later, so leave a review in the meantime!  
**

**~M.Q.A. (skittleslol)  
**


	3. Act I, Part II: Changing Lenses

**Part 2: Changing Lenses**

I wake up to Friday morning with a groan. I shuffle around blindly, looking for that annoying beeping object. Alarm clocks were never my favourite objects. Come to think of it, anyone who likes alarm clocks would be weird. I finally find in, under my sheets, oddly, and after much cursing, turn it off.

Luckily, I'm the only person in my dorm wing. This isn't so surprising. Some of the students actually live out of campus, and only a few of the guys stay in the dormitories. The dorm building is huge, compared to the amount of students here. And with the fact that the girl-boy ratio here is around 60:40, it's no wonder some wings will be very empty.

I stretch up and out of my bed, and prepare for my Friday morning class. On my way out, I notice the bespectacled guy I saw yesterday sneaking around with a huge bag. Luckily, it seems that he hasn't seen me. I don't stick around to find out what he has in that bag. I'm not really that kind of person.

I enter the classroom and find… almost no one there. It seems no one is a morning person here, even the teachers. I sigh and sit at my desk, preparing my books for the morning. A few minutes later, they all start to pour in one by one, Yuki among them.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I've seen her with a cane. Yesterday, she did say that she accidentally left it, and she needed to use me as a support. I wonder what disease she has that requires her to use a cane in walking. Maybe something she was born with? Or is it something she got when she was older. Whatever it is, I decide not to ask her about it and wait for her to tell me herself, on her own will.

"Good morning, Ryuuji!" she says, smiling.

"Good morning to you too," I reply. She sits down in her seat next to me and takes out her book, including her fan fiction notebook. She starts writing in it, again, just like yesterday, but after a few minutes, she stops.

"Uh, Ryuuji, you said you'd be interested in helping out the Newspaper Club, right?" she asks.

"I said I was interested in helping out. I didn't say I'd join," I retorted, sensing a trap. She pouts at my retort, and my heart melts even more. Okay, not really, but still, you know that feeling.

"I didn't say we'd force you to join. We're not the student council," she says, with an evil smirk. That last part was somewhat uncalled for, but it seems that it's an open secret in this school. Maybe there were incidents during the past that they'd rather not talk about.

"Oh, okay. What is it then?"

"Well, if you're going to help, you might as well meet the others in the club. There's just the three of us right now, but we'll try to find more members after the school festival."

I agree to her proposal and we all settle down for the day.

* * *

"So this is the Newspaper Club?" I ask, looking at the bleak room situated in the far reaches of the world. Maybe not, it's just a small, secluded section of the school building. It's still bleak, though, with an age-old computer and just a few chairs and tables. Clearly the school's newspaper club has seen better days.

Yuki doesn't look to bothered by it, though, along with her clubmates, Naomi Inoue and Natsume Ooe, both from Class 3-3. Apparently, they're the only three people left in the club after all their seniors graduated last year. And because the school paper's not that popular, nobody really bothered joining up this year. It's a wonder they've managed to continue, despite the school administration having a five-member rule with regards to school clubs. Except the student council, of course.

"Oh don't look so down!" says Yuki, patting me on the back. She's a totally different person when it comes to the Newspaper Club. It's like it's the only thing she lives for, anyway.

"You're going to be part of the little family very soon, you know!" she says, grinning. Wait, what did she mean by that?

"Hey, I told you I'd help, but I didn't necessarily tell you I'd join!" I say.

She just laughs it off and introduces me to Natsume and Naomi. I guess they're both okay, albeit a bit distant from us, at times. It's almost like they have their own worlds. I wonder if they're—

"Hey, if you're going to help out, you might want to start with the computer."

Natsume breaks me out of my reverie with her command, which was rather forceful, to say the least. She is the club president, after all. I groan and sit in front of the PC and turn it on, only to see it run a derelict OS from the late 90's. Or maybe they just don't know how to use it.

"What do you want me to do with this?" I ask.

As if on cue, Naomi hands me a stack of CD's, installers of all kinds, from anti-virus programs to photo editing software. "Just install what needs to be installed," she says. "We don't really have the tech know how in these things, leave us the writing and you can have the computer."

I take the discs and check their contents. They seem to be out of date. I do have some discs in my room that are the same, and a bit more up to date. I ask them permission to leave to get my things and agree, on the condition that Yuki goes with me too. They seem to be so intent on not letting me escape.

* * *

"So uh, Yuki. I never knew that the Newspaper Club only had girls in it," I say, trying to make small talk out of the awkward situation I've been thrust into.

"Well, writing isn't really popular with guys around here. They're mostly in the literature club, too. Probably because the school crush is there," she adds, giggling. School crush eh?

"Maybe I'd join them too," I say, sticking my tongue out. She pouts at my little jest, and I feel myself melt again. She really should stop that if she doesn't want a pool of melted Ryuuji to scoop up.

The grounds are full of other students milling about this fine Friday late afternoon, with some just sitting under the breeze while others are playing sports and other recreational activities. It almost makes you forget that this really is a school for the disabled.

We reach the dormitories and see that the mural outside is around halfway through. Come to think of it, I saw an armless girl being helped by that mousy haired guy. How many girls is he hanging out with, anyway? I look at Yuki as we near the dormitory doors.

"Are you coming with me?" I ask her.

She blushes at my question, and suddenly looks tense. I think I used the wrong wording there. She plays with her cane a bit before answering me.

"O-okay… but only so that you can't escape!"

We enter the dorm's common rooms which are, thankfully, vacant of anyone, save for that bespectacled guy who looks like he's just seen a ghost right now. He runs up to what probably is his dorm room and shuts his door loudly, locking what seems to be 20 different locks.

I reach the floor my solitary dorm room is on, and open my door. I look at Yuki and invite her inside my room.

"Welcome to my humble abode of doom," I say, with a small bow. "It's not much right now. I did just come here yesterday, but hopefully I can start unpacking sometime this week."

She sits on one of the numerous boxes I have and takes a look around. The walls are still bare, and the sheets still immaculate in appearance. The only thing set up right now would be my rather large book collection.

"Would you mind if I read some of your books?" she asks. I shrug to say yes, and continue looking for the CD case I kept in one of the boxes. I find the CD case on top of my desk, oddly, and turn to find Yuki deeply engrossed in one of my books. With the way she looks at it, she seems to grow redder and redder by the minute. Wait, that book is—

"No! Not that!" I try to take it away from her, only for her to side step me deftly, somewhat more agile than someone with a limp leg. The false cover comes off one of my eromangas. I try to take it from her again and end up tackling her down on my floor.

"Ryuuji, that hurts!" she says, pinned down beneath my body.

This is one messy situation I've gotten myself into. My manga lays forgotten a few inches away, as we both turn red in shame. This is one flag I should not be tripping early on in the game. I try to sit up, and get up off her, but unfortunately, this is the time my door decides to slam open.

"AHA! I knew I shouldn't have left Yuki with you!"

Natsume and Naomi storm in, looking very murderous. I quickly stand up, and help Yuki up as well. Their eyes seem to dart from me, the manga at their feet, and Yuki. I try to come up with something to defuse this situation, but unfortunately, nothing comes to mind. I sigh and resign myself to whatever will happen to me.

"So, care to explain, Ryuuji-san?" says Naomi, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Were you actually trying to do something to our dearest Yuki?" adds Natsume, her eyes looking at me with evil in them. Perhaps even more with the way they're mismatched.

I explain everything to them, fully bowed on the floor, as the aura in my room calms down. Thankfully, none of them are that mad at me and decide to make me work myself out on their computer.

* * *

By the time I was finished working, I really wished I was dead. I ended up backing up their entire system, reformatting their computer, adding new programs, an up to date OS, and a bunch more computer-y stuff. The sky outside has turned dark, and I was dead tired, especially with what transpired.

"So I guess I'm going to have to work myself under your debt now?" I ask them.

Yuki smiles apologetically, as Natsume and Naomi run me through the club's rules and regulations. I guess they pretty much roped me in, after all. I wonder if that was their plan in the first place. Oh well, I guess being in a club with a bunch of cute girls won't hurt. Though their… recruitment methods are much more effective than the student council's, that's for sure.

Half an hour later and I'm free at last, with Natsume and Naomi giving me one last look. I guess they're just happy another member has joined their club. The girls went on ahead so I'm stuck cleaning the room. I don't really mind, I guess they didn't really have anyone who could stay and clean before. Thankfully, it doesn't take long to clean, and I give the room one quick look and shut the door behind me.

I'm surprised to see Yuki standing outside, in the hallway, waiting.

"You've been waiting here the entire time?" I ask her. She nods quietly, then twirls her cane around.

"Yeah, I'm pretty bored, so I decided to wait until you're done. Besides, I'm going to the dorms too."

"What about Naomi and Natsume?" I ask, checking around, making sure this isn't a joke they're playing on me.

"What about them? They've gone ahead. They're always together, you know. Makes me think there's something between the two of them," she says, smiling softly. She collapses her cane and puts it in her bag and to my surprise, clings to my arm like yesterday.

"Uh, Yuki?" I ask.

"What, you don't like it?" she says, sticking her tongue out.

I shake my head and walk down the dorms with her. I realize that it's actually helpful to have her like this, because she's guiding me down the long walk. Despite the efforts in lighting up Yamaku, there are still dark areas here. And the dormitories are all but distinguishable in the dark, alongside the other large buildings.

I take off my glasses and hang them around my neck, like I always do. Yuki takes them and tries them only, quickly taking them off, her eyes watering from the high grade of the lenses.

"Your eyes are really bad, you know?" she says, laughing.

"Well, RP does that to you. Retinitis pigmentosa, I mean."

"But why take them off now?" she asks.

"I can't see anything, anyway. I'm blind in the dark now, and I'll be totally blind in a few years. It's a degenerative disease."

She suddenly goes quiet and stops walking. Despite the darkness, I could detect the sadness in her right now.

"Degenerative, huh?" she says, running a hand over my eyes. I notice that she's trembling quite badly.

"Yuki? Are you cold? You're trembling," I say.

"No, not really, just… nothing," she says, adding a half smile in the end.

We continue walking, with Yuki sticking quite close to me. It's a slow progress, with a few stumbles along the way as she sometimes loses step, but we make it to the dorm rooms. Yuki separates from me and takes out her cane, and we part ways. I turn around to give her a small wake goodbye, and she does the same, with a sad smile on her face.

A sleepless night followed, as I pondered on Yuki's change of mood.


	4. Act I, Part III: A Bit of Fresh Air

**Part 3: A Bit of Fresh Air**

I awaken to this fine Saturday morning feeling worse than usual, with that sleepless night I had. Hopefully, Yuki's mood has improved by now. I take a quick shower and head on of to my Saturday class. If I remember correctly, Saturdays were only half-day classes, and I've got free time this afternoon.

I arrive in my classroom to see everyone sporting the same tired eyes as I do, probably because of the preparations for the festival. Because I'm a new student in this school, no one really approached me about the festival preparations. Our class is supposed to have a both selling Taiyaki. Well, I guess that just means I'm free, as free as a photographer can be, during the school festival.

Yuki's arrival brings my attention back to the real world. It seems like she's had a full recovery from last night. I'm pretty sure bringing up what happened last night is a big no right now. I settle with the usual early morning talk with her.

"Good morning! How's that fiction going?" I ask.

"Fine, though I could use some help proofreading it," she says, taking out that same battered notebook.

"How long have you been working on that, anyway?"

"Since the second year of middle school, actually."

She flips through the pages elegantly, crossing out some words here and there. Her handwriting's pretty, but something about the later entries is off.

"Say, would you mind proofreading it?" she asks, handing me her battered notebook.

Happy to do something, I open the notebook to find out that it's a somewhat heart-warming love story that was never meant to be.

Hmmm… standard cheesy love story lines. Some grammar errors here, there. I finish reading and rereading her story and hand it back to her.

"So I guess those characters are from that visual novel you play?" I ask her.

"No, not really. They're original characters I made, though the visual novel's main protagonist shows up in the background from time to time."

She continues on about her plot and the eventual sad end to the story while we wait for homeroom to start. Soon enough, Takasu enters the class, looking like he's had better days. Or maybe teachers let loose during Friday nights too? I remember seeing Mutou, our Science teacher, looking just like Takasu.

He just gives us some exercises on Math and sits down behind his desk. He's clearly not in a mood to give one of his weird lectures, though not as weird as Mutou's. I'm halfway through his exercises when he walks up to my table.

"Yo, Kousaka, got a moment?" he asks. "Let's talk outside for a bit."

I nod and follow him outside the room. The hallway's vacant, with all the students busy in their classes.

"So, how are you holding up in the school? Any problems?"

"Not really. People here are… very friendly, to say the least," I say, smiling. Takasu is probably one of those few teachers that make you feel very comfortable with them. He's almost like he's one of the students.

"That's good. I see you've been hanging around with Miss Homura lately. Something between you two?" he teases, grinning widely.

If I had a drink, I would have done a spit take, then and there.

"O-of course not! I've just been here for four days!" I retort.

He simply laughs at my embarrassment and pats me on the back.

"Yeah, of course. It's good to see you guys hanging out. She was a bit more silent before you came here, so I have you to thank for in helping her open up. Also, the nurse wanted me to remind you to go to him this afternoon. Ask Yuki where the clinic is. It's just a customary inspection, nothing big," he adds, seeing my expression.

I nod and after a small pat on the back, we walk back into the classroom. As the door closes, I see the door to Class 3-3 open with Mutou and that messy haired boy coming out. Maybe it's a standard procedure to talk to new students at the end of their first week.

* * *

The bell rings, signalling the end of classes. Takasu tries to give his final instructions over the noise of scraping chairs and students rushing out, but gives up in the end. He just gives us a small wave and sets off himself.

I find myself, once again, under Yuki's guidance.

"I need to visit the nurse today. You wouldn't happen to know where the clinic is, would you?" I ask her.

She gives me a small giggle and takes my arm. "Just follow me!"

We walk down the stairs of the school building and out the massive front doors. It seems that the clinic is actually outside the main building. We continue down the building right next to the main building, which looks exactly like the main building, save for a few more features, here and there.

"Here you go!" she says, stopping right in front of a door that reads 'Head Nurse'. I knock twice on the door, and the nurse invites me in. I step inside to a white room, almost like a hospital room. It even has the faint smell of disinfectant. Sitting in a rotating computer chair is a purple haired man with a huge smile on his face.

"Hello Yuki! How are you? And who's this young fellow you've brought along?" he asks, in a friendly yet professional voice.

"I'm her classmate, Ryuuji Kousaka. I was er… told that you wanted to see me?" I reply.

"Hmmm… ah! Now I remember! You're that kid with the RP, right? Don't worry, this'll be a short meeting. I'll just be taking down some notes about your medical history and also run some tests on your vision. Nothing biggie."

I sit down the chair next to him while Yuki sits in a bench by the doorway. She seems to be entertaining herself, conversing with one of the nurse's aide, who's clothes make her look like a candy cane. The nurse asks me some questions about my medical history, and what operations I had undertaken in the past. Afterwards, he examines my vision with an eye chart. To no one's surprise, it seems my vision just got worse.

"You're vision's going, but I guess you won't go blind just yet. Just refrain from doing any 'nightly exercises', if you catch my meaning," he says, the joke somewhat out of place.

"Other than that, I'm glad you were able to make a full recovery from that accident you had. Not everyone is that fortunate. Just try not to over exert your bones, else they might break again."

I thank him and head out of his office. Just as I turn the doorknob, he calls me back, with a serious expression on his face.

"Ryuuji, I understand that you're probably one of the most stable students here in Yamaku, with regards to your health. Take my number, call me if anything comes up," he says, casting a glance at Yuki. He gives me his number and I save it in my phone.

I leave the clinic with Yuki in tow, thinking about what the nurse had said. 'If anything comes up', huh? I guess it'll be useful if I find someone collapsing or something. I yawn widely as we go to the cafeteria. I guess I'm a bit tired, too.

* * *

"Hey, Ryuuji, wanna go down to the convenience store?" asks Yuki.

Come to think of it, I've never been to the nearby town. And I do need some supplies for my fort of doom. Besides, the school lunches don't fill me up as much as they used to. Probably because I'm a voracious eater, despite my thin body. Something about my metabolism.

"Yeah, sure, why not. I need some supplies anyway, junk food mostly."

We finish up our food and make our way down the hill to the town. Though it is nice to have the school on a hilltop, with the fresh air and all, it is a bit inconvenient, especially if you consider that most of the students here are disabled. God help those with arrhythmia, climbing this steep hill.

After around half an hour of walking we arrive at the small town. Some of the other students are already here, perhaps spending their free Saturday afternoon to have fun, or like us, to replenish supplies. Yuki guides me through the narrow streets, and after an additional short walk, we arrive at the convenience store. It's a rather unassuming small store with very familiar colours, though it does say 'Auramart' outside. I guess it's just coincidence.

"What did you need to buy, anyway?" I ask.

"Oh, nothing really. I just wanted to show you around town," she replies, with a small giggle.

We enter the store and pick a well-worn basket for our use. Unsurprisingly, Yuki collapses her cane and clings to my arm again, something she's been doing a lot lately when in tight spaces. I guess I don't mind it, heck, I like it, even. And I guess it's also easier for her to move around.

She guides me around the aisles as I pick out my much needed food supply, and also some toiletries. After a bit of thinking, we decided to get her supplies as well, and I hang back as she gets some of her more… sensitive feminine needs.

"All done!" she says, dumping her share into the basket. I bring the basket to the checkout counter where a rather bored looking clerk scans our items and nearly puts them in the same bag before I intervened. We still end up with items misplaced in our grocery bags.

"Huh, I guess not everyone's having a good Saturday," I comment as I fish out yet another of Yuki's things from my bag.

"Well, maybe a little cooling off is what they need," says Yuki, handing me my deodorant.

It's quite a strange feeling, talking nonchalantly with a girl while exchanging rather sensitive goods. Then again, it might just be my ignorance in the workings of the human social processes. Or something.

"Hmmm… how do you feel about tea?" asks Yuki.

"It's okay, I guess. I'm not against it. I'm just a sucker for anything with caffeine, actually."

"How about we go to a small teahouse near here? Not many people frequent it, though we did hold a few meetings in the club there. It's called the Shanghai. Come on, I'll take you there!" she says, dragging me along by my arm. For someone with a limp, she's quite agile. Or maybe it's because she's faking her limp just to catch me unaware. Heh, like there's such thing as a feminist plot to take over the world.

Just off the main road connecting the town to the school is a small, traditional looking teahouse. No wonder not many students frequent it; it's not really big in the whole advertisement thing. It's actually quite a nice, cosy place with lots of wood. Lots and lots of wood. From the counters to the booths, and the ceiling, and even the condiment stands, everywhere you look at is wood. It's a wonder this thing doesn't catch fire and burn mysteriously.

The door's bell chimes as we walk in, and to our surprise, a rather neurotic looking waitress rushes up front.

"Uh… err… welcome to the Shanghai!" she says, snapping into a bow that would have broken the sound barrier.

"It's okay Yuuko, relax," says Yuki, catching the attention of our waitress.

"You know her?" I ask.

"Yuuko also works as Yamaku's librarian on weekdays, so you get to know her if you keep spending time in the library. Or if you've got lots of overdue books," she adds, with a little sinister snicker at the end there.

"Ah, Yuki. Y-yeah, you've still got three books overdue since the start of the schoolyear," says Yuuko, her eyes misting over as she thinks about her other jobs before suddenly snapping back to us. "B-but today's not a library day, so please, take a seat wherever you want! I'll be right over with the menu!"

With that, and another record breaking bow, Yuuko rushes behind the counter to look for menus, leaving us to find our seats on our own. We manage to find one comfortably close to the counter.

"Here you go," says Yuuko, handing us menus. "It's so nice to see young love blossom just in time for the school festival," she adds, somewhat off character to her waitress role, but with the same smile, nonetheless.

"Err… we're not really…"

"…going out with each other."

Yuki and I finish each other's sentences, which gives Yuuko a bit of a giggle. We order a platter of sandwiches and a pot tea, which Yuuko duly notes, and sit back as she scurries off back to the kitchens to prepare our meal.

"This is a nice place," I comment.

"Yeah, it's probably because of the quiet atmosphere. A lot of people from the city tend to like it. I guess you're from the city?" she asks.

"Yup, the big city. Lots of cars, smoke, people, and just general chaos," I shrug as I recall my hometown. As much as I loved home, the city really wasn't my type of place to live in.

"Oh, so you're just like me, it seems," she says, with a small chuckle in the end. Yuuko returns with our food, setting it up on the table in the most professional way she could. After a small bow, again, she heads on back behind the counter to wait for other guests that may come.

We eat the sandwiches in peace, with small talk here and there to break the silence. As much as I liked the Shanghai for its peacefulness, the lack of people gets eerie as time passes.

We finish eating just as the sky outside dyes the whole area an orange tint, and thank Yuuko as we go out, leaving a small tip on the table.

"Best we try to get back soon, unless you want to guide a blind guy all the way up a steep hill," I say, stretching in the cool late afternoon air. Yuki merely nods and clings to my arm again. I really can't complain about this, especially since I'm shut in guy with little to no contact with women. I silently praise the gods as we walk in relative silence back to the iron gates of Yamaku.

"I will find Yamaku's architect someday. Find him, then kill him. Slowly. By making him run up and down the school's slope."

Exhausted from the long walk up, Yuki and I finally arrive in front of the dormitories. In spite of my complaints, I can't find it in my heart to really hate the architect. The environment makes up for the walk. Barely.

"Hey, you've been silent for a while now. You okay?" I ask Yuki, who still seems a bit too exhausted by the trip.

"Y-yeah. I just need some rest. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Don't forget your camera!" she says, smiling weakly and heading off for the girl's dorms.

I give her one last glance as I turn towards the boy's dorms, and think about tomorrow. A festival day, huh? I guess it's going to be a really long Sunday for me, then. And classes the day after too.

I check and double check the equipment I needed for the next day, especially my precious camera. Leaving both the camera and the flash's batteries charging, I turn in for the night, awaiting whatever events may happen tomorrow.


	5. Act I, Part IV: Festive Spirits

**A/N: A word of warning. This chapter contains a spoiler from the visual novel itself. One ending where [REDACTED] happens. So if you haven't read the VN yet, and care about spoilers, then don't read this chapter.  
**

**Then again, the fact that you're here in the KS section of means you've probably read the VN. This ending is pretty popular too, so you might know about it.  
**

* * *

**Part 4: Festive Spirits**

I awaken to the festival day hearing a loud noise outside my door. It seems someone's having a major breakdown due to the festival, somewhere in the opposite wing of the dorm. I catch glimpses of what seems to be plans to build a fort and something about the rooftop. Groaning because of the disturbance of my sleep, I pick myself up and prepare for the day.

Heading out with my camera bag in tow, I nearly collide with the bespectacled guy carrying what looks like a dozen mattresses on his back. He merely looks as me suspiciously and holds a finger to his mouth, demanding I keep my silence. I just nod and let him on his way. Whatever it is he's planning, I want no part in it.

The grounds are jam packed with students, relatives, and other people from neighboring towns. Whatever this festival is for, it seems that the schools is the best place to be in when it happens. This is also the time I've seen the most number of… normal people in the school campus. Quite a sight, really, with people, disabled and fine alike, bonding during the festival.

Perhaps it's the true meaning of the festival, looking into the real person inside, not on their outside appearance.

I notice that the wall in front of the dormitories is now covered in a mural of… I don't even know what it is. I guess that armless girl did end up finishing the whole mural. I wonder if she did it all by herself. It's still quite an achievement.

I walk around the grounds, looking for my class' stall. I'm exempted from manning the stall, another perk of being part of the Newspaper Club, but it's where Yuki and I were supposed to meet up. After a fair bit of maneuvering, partly due to new stalls that magically sprung up overnight, I find our class's stall in the middle of a flood of people. It seems that cheap fried food does sell well during festivals.

I end up buying from our own stall while waiting for Yuki, who always seems to be 'fashionably late'. Or maybe she's just plain lazy and dislikes waking up for appointments. I still manage to finish up my plate and take a couple of shots before something completely blocks my camera lens.

"Hey! No touching the lens!" I say, pulling it away and wiping the prints off with my cuff. Not the best way, but I'm a risk taker. When it comes to myself and my camera, anyway.

"Hmph. So you'd rather take pictures than hang out with a cute girl during this festival, huh?" asks a voice I'm familiar with.

Squinting to make sure, it's no other than Yuki, our beloved tardy princess. I hang the camera around my neck and take out my glasses, which I don't use when I shoot because they don't agree with the viewfinder.

"Ah, I should've known. You're early for lunch, you know. I've been waiting here for an hour. What time zone are you from anyway, GMT+8?" I ask, feigning irritation. As per usual with my facades, it completely breaks down in laughter.

"A girl's got to do, what a girl's got to do! Besides, a woman never tells her secrets!" she says, winking. My face meets my palm as she finishes, and I pick myself up to go to work.

"So. Where do we start, o great leader of mine?" I say, snapping into a mock salute.

"Well… for starters we could go…"

We walk around the school, with her pointing out various activities and me taking snapshots of said activities. We pass around the stalls, and look at the various merchandises sold. Of note is Class 3-2's stall, which is arguably the largest. It's twice the size of ours, and I begin to wonder how a class full of blind students was able to set up a stall that size. We decide to eat there for lunch, with me ordering noodles, out of the possible orders of noodles, noodles, and tea.

"Please do come back! And please don't forget to return the plate," says the current girl in charge of the register, giving us a small bow. Come to think of it, I think she's the class rep from before, the one with the blonde hair and striking blue eyes.

"Hey, Ryuuji," says my tablemate, poking me with her chopsticks.

"What?" I snap, shoveling another mouthful.

"You're clearly checking out Satou, are you?" she teases, stealing my last remaining squid.

"Nope, not at all," I say, blushing slightly. "All right, what if I am. I'm a growing adolescent male!"

"Oh, I bet you have that healthy adolescent drive you guys are famous for, anyway," she says, rolling her eyes.

Yuki is a bit weird once she gets out of her shell, which I have noticed in the past three days I've always been with her. A bit more teasing, and… flirty, if I may say so. I sip up my soup and give her another glare. She seems to not notice and plays around with her cane instead.

I buy the both of us drinks and we continue on with our round of the school, her being my guide and eyes, and me being her… photographer. Or dog on a leash, either way, it's how I feel. We continue on to the school's wide open field, where there seems to be an exhibition of the school's track and field team.

"Oh, look Ryuuji! It's her!" says Yuki, pulling me down to the foot of the bleachers.

"Oh, hey, nice use of words there. I can't really see, you know. Who's her?" I ask, focusing my lens down the tracks.

A line up of Yamaku's best track and field athletes are on the starting line, with the person leading them a rather small person with prosthetics. Replacing both legs. It makes you wonder what you've achieved your whole life.

"Ryuuji, I may not know much about cameras and stuff, but, I think you're going to need a fast shutter for this one," says Yuki, fully engrossed in the situation.

"Hmm? They're student athletes. How fast could they be?" I ask, turning up my shutter a bit.

The starter pistol fires and I eat my words. Or the dust. Or eat my dusty words. Whatever fits the bill there. Fastest-thing-on-no-legs-tan, as I'll call her from now on, blasts with the speed of a speeding vehicle past my lens. Even with a high shutter, all I catch are a blur of white and red bloomers.

"Whoa, that's… fast," I say, adjusting mid shot for the next lap.

No-legs-tan clearly has a huge lead on the others, with 3-3's bet right behind her. And by that I mean right behind her by almost three full meters. The others are doing much worse. They pass around for a second lap, just as I get the proper combination for these types of shots. With each passing moment, I feel my rush as my finger presses the shutter's button, again and again, my shutter almost a non-stop clicking sound.

Finally, after what seems to be an eternity taking photos, they finally round up the last lap and, to no one's surprise, no-legs-tan wins by a mile. Letting go of my camera, I flex my fingers as I let my eyes adjust back to the real world.

"Ryuuji… that was… how many shots did you take?" asks Yuki.

"Hmm? Oh, that. Err… call it 'photographer's high' or something. I manage to snap of that much when I feel… it," I say, smiling. Come to think of it, this is the first time I've ever smiled so sincerely ever since I've arrived here in Yamaku.

Yuki returns my smile as we continue on walking around the campus, looking for more events to shoot. Among them was the mural, of course. That… err… somewhat grotesque mural of… something. Even with my lenses, I can't seem to figure it out. Maybe I should ask that armless girl sometime.

By the time the late afternoon sun rolled in, I was exhausted. I've finished off my three 8 GB cards just shooting all day and was left with less than half a battery. Yuki on the other hand, seems to have more energy in store for later.

"Hey, come on! Don't drag your feet!" she says, pulling ahead of me.

"Look who's talking," I say, walking faster to keep pace with her. "I'm not the one using a cane. Besides, what are you so excited for, anyway?"

"Fireworks! The fireworks display this evening! You can't watch it if you're out of energy and passed out!"

"Fireworks? Huh. Let's go to my room then," I say.

"Your room? Just the two of us? You're quite daring, Ryuuji," she says, giving me a glare.

"Oh, uh, n-not in that kind of way! I need to get my reserves and my tripod for the fireworks!" I tell her, taking her by the arm.

For the first time, it seems that I'm the one who dragged her into a dorm devoid of students, and into my den of evil. The room is a bit cleaner this time around, with the boxes gone and my 'collection' safely hidden.

"All right, I got my cards, spare battery, and a tripod, all ready for later tonight!" I say. "And no, no more manga for you."

Yuki just shakes her head at my comment, and follows me out the dorm. The crowd has thinned out by this time, with most of the people looking for places to watch the fireworks display.

"Ryuuji, all the good spots are taken," says Yuki, pouting.

"Well, why don't we try the rooftop?" I suggest. The rooftop is off limits to all students, but I guess being in the Newspaper Club, we can make an excuse later. And it's not like anyone needs to know we've been there.

We walk down the school's near empty drive down to the main building and climb the flights of stairs up to the rooftop's door. We get there to meet a sign, handwritten in poor handwriting, saying "OFF LIMITS". Huh, since when did "OFF LIMITS" signs deter students? I turn the handle on the door, only to find out it's been locked from the other side.

"Aw, crap. Someone beat us to it," I say, almost banging on the door out of frustration.

The sheer effort of walking up here, wasted. And with Yuki, to boot, who's having much more trouble walking than I do. Somehow, I feel frustrated even more with the knowledge that she's made so much an effort for nothing.

"Don't be so mad about it, Ryuuji," she says, frowning. "Maybe they're just a couple who doesn't want to be disturbed. Give them a chance to live out their love while they still can."

Yuki smiles weakly at this, prompting me to ask. "What do you mean by, 'while they still can'? We're teens, aren't we? We've still got a long life ahead of us."

"Yeah, you do," she says. She stays silent for a few minutes, minutes that felt like a lifetime, until suddenly, she perks up.

"I know! There's a clearing not far into the forest behind the school that's the perfect place to watch the display!" she says, taking me by the arm again.

"Wait, Yuki, don't go too fast!" I say, almost jogging to avoid being dragged by her.

We travel down the endless spiral staircase again, and down the huge doors of the main building. The first thing I see outside is… nothing. Not a peep. Darkness has fallen, and with it, my vision. I let Yuki guide me as she turns around the school's corner and into the darker back grounds of the school. Suddenly, I'm left alone as she surges on forward.

"Wait, Yuki? Where are you? I can't see!"

I grope around blindly as I try to find the walls of the school. Finally, I find it, the cold concrete touching my fingertips. Damn, I'm not used to this. I never go out at dark because of this. When I find Yuki, I'm gonna—

THUD! Suddenly, something heavy falling onto the soft, somewhat damp grass. Followed by a loud CRASH of something breaking against the school's cobbled walk. Just somewhere in front of me, a few meters away.

"Yuki? Are… are you okay?" I ask, fear creeping into my voice. Fear that she may be in big trouble.

"Ryu… Ryuuji. Help. Help me," I hear her say, a few meters off to my front-right. As I walk towards her voice, I hear her sobbing, guiding me closer.

"Yuki, what's—"

Suddenly, I get the feeling that something's off. I reach down and feel Yuki, sitting on the ground. I try to help her up but she collapses just the same to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Just then, I smell something off in the air. Something like… alcohol? I take a few more deep breaths and smell something else. Something I have never smelled since my accident.

Blood.

Just then, the first fireworks flare up into the night sky, their trails leaving an eerie glow around my surroundings, enough to make out shapes, but not to light them up. Yuki, in front of me. Someone, lying down, just a few feet in front of her.

The firework traces up, and at the apex of its arc, it explodes into a brilliant red flare, lighting up everything around me. Including the someone lying down in a pool of his own blood. That mousy haired guy from Class 3-3.

I look up and barely see the faint outline of a broken fence on the rooftop. Another flash as a firework explodes into brilliant blue stars, and I see the full outline of the fences, along with a silhouette of someone looking down. Someone with round glasses reflecting the glare, and a scarf billowing in the night wind.

Knowing what I need to do, I take out my phone and dial the first number that comes into my mind.

"We, uh… we've got an emergency," I say into the receiver.

* * *

A few minutes later, the nurse, along with his staff arrive to the area, and take the guy from 3-3 into emergency, and me and Yuki for counseling. Yuki still sobs uncontrollably on my arm as we walk, slowly, to the nurse's office in the clinic.

* * *

Yuki rests on one of the benches by the door as me and the nurse talk about the night's events. The nurse's aide, who wears candy cane-like clothes, Toki Uchiharu-san, tends to Yuki. I sip my warm tea to calm my nerves as the nurse asks me.

"So, Ryuuji. I'm sorry this had to happen tonight, of all nights," he says, his trademark grin missing. "Anything you can tell us about what happened?"

"Nothing much," I reply, taking another sip of my particularly strong tea. "I just heard a thump, then a crash, then Yuki calling me for help. I couldn't really see anything."

The nurse nods as he juts down notes that may help in the later investigation of the case. He gestures me to continue after I finish off my teacup.

"I did smell something off… something like alcohol?"

"Yes, alcohol. Whiskey, to be exact. We found a shattered bottle near where Mr. Nakai fell. Thankfully, the ground cushioned his impact enough to not kill him. If he fell where the bottle was…"

The nurse grimaces at the thought and pours the both of us some more tea. We both take a sip and he gestures me to continue.

"I wasn't really able to see much, but I think Nakai fell from the rooftop. There was a broken fence there… with someone. Big round glasses. Scarf. I think I've seen him around at times."

"Ah, that would be… Mr. Setou. Kenji Setou. He's been… apprehended after he came out of the school building, drunk and ranting about how 'feminists took away my brother in arms'. We're going to have to make an assessment of his psychological profile after this."

"I hope he's going to be fine. I don't really think it's anyone's fault. It was an accident. Caused by drinking, but an accident, still. After that, I called you, and you guys came."

The nurse thanks me for the information, and takes a call from his phone. From his tone, the news would seem to be bittersweet. I take over from Uchiharu-san in watching Yuki as the nurse walks up to us.

"Well, good news is that Mr. Nakai survives, despite falling from the rooftop and getting a near fatal heart attack. I've got you to thank for that, Ryuuji and Yuki. Bad news is he's probably not going back anytime soon, so he won't be able to thank you guys properly," says the nurse, with bits of his normal self mixed into that lighthearted joke in the end. He gives us a small grin to cheer us up and heads off.

The nurse had a bed prepared in the infirmary for Yuki to sleep in, by his recommendations. I help Yuki into the bed, where she mumbles a weak 'thanks' before falling into a deep sleep shortly afterwards. I take a nearby chair and sit next to Yuki's bed, and soon find myself nodding off to sleep, leaning on her bedside.

* * *

**Post A/N: Just a short message after that, and all.**

**A week seems to be a bit too long an interval for chapters I've already written, so I guess I'll update this at around 2-3 day intervals, depending on the amount of work school wants me to do.  
**

**Happy Reading!  
**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)  
**


	6. Act II, Part I: Awakening

**ACT 2: Rising Action**

**Part 1: Awakening**

I wake up with my back hurting from falling asleep sitting. Yuki is still sleeping, so I decide to get up and get the both of us some breakfast while I can. I greet the nurse a good morning as I walk down the nearly deserted, and messy, school grounds. It seems that six in the morning is still too early for most students.

The canteen is already open, and some early bird students are having their own breakfasts. It looks like news hasn't reached home yet. I order the both of us some bread and take it back to the infirmary.

I get there with Yuki already awake and sitting on her bed, gazing out to the steadily brightening grounds. I decide to try to brighten up her day as well.

"Hey," I say, handing her her share. "Here, eat up."

"Thanks," she says, taking the bread. "Sorry about last night."

"Oh don't worry about it. I guess anyone would crash like that if they see something as… gruesome in our age."

She merely nods at my comment, nibbling her bread absentmindedly.

"I just can't believe someone so young could… get their lives cut off so suddenly. It's not fair," she says, tearing up.

I move closer to her, taking her hand in mine. She looks a bit shocked at this gesture, but does nothing to push me away. That's good. At least she wants my company, I think.

"Say, Ryuuji, you don't know what's wrong with me, right?" she says, gripping my hand lightly.

"Uh… well, that's because… I never really…" I try to sidestep it, thinking she might not really want to talk about it.

"No. Don't sidestep me," she says. "Everything that's happened right now made me think about me. About my future. About what will inevitably happen."

The ambience around the room suddenly feels a bit heavier. Now is definitely not the time to crack on of my deadpan snarks. I decide to stay silent and let Yuki continue on her own.

"You probably just think of me as a girl with a limp, right? Nothing more?" she says, looking at me seriously. I wanted so say, 'No, I know there's something more'. But that would be lying. I really did think of her like that. I nod.

"Ryuuji," she says, taking both of my hands in hers. "Remember when you said you had retinitis pigmentosa?"

"Yes. The doctors said it was a—"

"—a degenerative disease. That's what I have too. But mine is different, Ryuuji. I'm dying. I know we all are going to, eventually, but me… I probably have only ten years left, or twenty, if I'm lucky. I'm a walking time bomb, Ryuuji."

So that's why she's affected so much by the accident. Even by my careless offhand comments. She's scared. I think we all are. But with her… she has a good reason to be scared. And seeing someone her age nearly get his own string cut short… it drove her to the last straw. It's like she's gone through the stages of death, and is now stuck with bitter acceptance.

I console her the best I could, or at least I think I do. She calms up shortly afterwards, so I guess I did okay. I wipe off her tears and give her a reassuring smile.

'Life's too short to stay worried all the time' is what I meant to tell her. Though she may have mistaken it for something, she smiles back just the same. Despite the situation's seriousness, I just have to comment that she looks way too cute with her cheeks blushed pink like that. Almost criminally so.

We both get out the infirmary's bed rooms, or whatever they're called, and visit the nurse for last minute instructions. As expected, we find him smiling his wide grin again, despite last night. He looks a bit stressed out though, but that doesn't affect his usual greeting.

"So the sleeping beauty awakens, along with her prince charming," he says, patting us both in the back. "I hope you used protection," he adds to me, winking.

"N-no, uh, we never did anything like that!" I say, blushing heavily.

"Of course you didn't." Another wink. "So. Because of what happened last night, I don't think it's a good idea for you to get stressed over classes right now. Take the day off. Doctor's, er..., nurse's order. Don't worry, I'll talk to your teachers, they'll understand."

He waves us out of the office before we can say another word. Maybe he still does have a lot to do, with the paperwork and all. I shake my head and look at Yuki. She certainly seems a lot better now, with the intermission of the nurse.

"So, we got ourselves an extended break, it seems. Any plans?" I ask her.

"Hmm… let's go to the city!" she says. "You've never been there, right?"

"Well, I did pass it on the way here, but I never really explored it."

She smiles, and agrees to take me there. With that, and maybe a short shower and a fresh change of clothes for the both of us, we head on off to the bus station near the school gates, waiting for the bus to the city.

* * *

The city isn't as big as my hometown, or home city. But it does have these weird raised walkways going across the streets. I wonder if the school's relatively close has anything to do with that. As soon as I'm done admiring the view of tall glass skyscrapers from one of them, the limpet on my arm pulls me away again, and into another one of the stores.

"How about this Ryuuji? Or this? No, maybe this?" says Yuki, pulling out hat after hat after hat.

"You know, it's times like these that I'm thankful I can't see. I'll just say yes to all on the account that I can't see the difference," I say, pulling the brim of one over her eyes.

She sticks her tongue out at me as we walk out to the sunlight, my glasses adjusting for me.

"Oooh, what's this store?" she asks, pulling me by my arm towards a small store called 'Othello's Antiques'. An antique shop, huh? Perhaps with an equally antique owner who's actually secretly a wizard?

The shop's bell rings as we enter and an old man wearing suspenders appear as though magically from behind the counter. He watches us carefully as we make our way around the shop's tight space. Maybe he's just surprised to see people as young as us in here.

I look around and find a lot of interesting woodwork. Sitting on one shelf is something that looks like an ornate, wooden chessboard.

"That's real coral, you know," says someone behind me. I nearly drop the board in shock when I see the old man standing, looking quite amused with himself.

"Uh, thanks, I guess. Unfortunately, I'm not too good with chess."

I place the board back where it was while the old man walks over to Yuki, who's enjoying herself browsing the doll collection. I walk around a bit more, letting my fingers run over the various boxes and carvings of all shapes and sizes, and I find a small box with a brass latch.

I open it, and read the inscription on the brass attached to the inside of the lid.

'Lilium'

A music box, eh? I always liked these types of things. I turn it over and over, looking for the toggle to turn it on. The old man sees my plight and helps me with it.

"See, here? This little switch? Just slide it over and it'll wind the spool to play," he says, demonstrating.

Suddenly, the whole shop is filled with this tinny melody. A mellow melody, slow and filled with emotion. I find myself closing my eyes to better listen to it, as the last few nubs on the spool run over the chimes.

"How much is this?" I ask.

"Hmm… around 6,000 yen," he replies. Well, I can afford that much, I think. I take the music box and shuffle over to where Yuki was, staring at a doll with a green dress, golden hair, and striking blue eyes. The doll looks a lot like Satou.

"Find anything you like?" I ask her, showing her the music box.

"Nah, not really. Say, how about we go for ice cream next?" she says, dragging me along.

I barely manage to pay for my music box before she takes me out of the shop's doors and down the streets again. Oddly, once we get outside, no one seems to mind the antique shop at all, like it was never there. Maybe it appears only to those who wants it?

We find a small ice cream stall and I end up paying for the both of us. We find a bench nearby to sit on and just bask under the steadily warming summer sun. Strangely, a lot of couples are walking around today, despite today being a Monday. I try to count the as they pass but soon give up as my number reaches twenty.

I'm surprised when something rests itself on my neck. I turn my head to find Yuki leaning on me, almost asleep. I try to shake her off to no avail, and sigh as I resign myself to the role of human pillow.

"Hey, I'm a bony person, you know. You're going to have a bad time if you sleep on me," I say, trying to push her away again.

"No! Let me sleep!" she says, playfully pushing back.

"Can't we do it somewhere more private? Or where it's accepted? Like a park?" I ask, standing up.

"Well, we could go to the park right now, it's not too far off," she says, taking out her cane. I feel a bit sad that she's not going to cling on me again. Without any further ado, I follow the woman with a cane again, this time navigating through the city streets.

* * *

"Your definition of 'far' is too far off," I say, panting heavily.

"Your definition of 'fit' is too far off," she counters, sitting on a park bench. I shuffle over to the vending machine to buy some drinks to cool us off after that walk. Thankfully, the sun has lowered down to its late afternoon position, giving us a healthy warm glow instead of the sweltering heat it proved to be by midday.

"Thanks," she says, taking her drink from me. She instantly drops to the same position as before the moment I sit next to her.

"Hey, at least drink that properly," I say, sipping from my own can.

"Hmph," she pouts, sitting up.

I close my eyes as a cool breeze passes, breathing in the relatively fresh air. Compared to Yamaku, the air here isn't quite fresh, being a city and all, but is still fresher compared to my home city. Next to me, Yuki snuggles yet again on my shoulder and rests her hand on my lap.

"Aren't you getting a bit too close there, Miss Himoru?" I say.

"Well, you're not complaining, are you, Mister Kousaka?" she retorts. I can't really say I'm complaining.

"But isn't this the type of things only couples do?" I ask.

"So how about it?" she says, asking me.

"Oh, so now you're asking me out? You know your shit woman," I says, chuckling a bit.

"Nope, I'm asking you to ask me out," she says, pouting.

I sigh deeply, thinking my life over. Is this what we really want right now? The answer: yes. We may both very well end up dead tomorrow, that much she's taught me. And because life is too short to make regrets, I take a deep breath and go for it.

"Okay, fine, you win, Yuki. Will you mar—, er, I mean go out with me?"

Damn, still fumbled over that last part.

"What else have I been doing the past week, Ryuuji?" she says, nuzzling into my neck even more. "Yes. Oh, and marriage is too far off. Not yet," she teases.

Well, that my children, is how I met your mother, is what I want to say right now to my future children. But maybe it's too far ahead to think of the future. Let's just savor that moment when you first get a girlfriend. Life is going to be pretty indeed.

* * *

But, as with all good things, they must come at an end, eventually. We arrive at Yamaku's gates just before night has fully fallen, and find ourselves a nice little bench where we could spend some more time together just before curfew.

"So… it's official, then?" I ask her again, still unbelieving.

She just rolls her eyes and responds, "Yes. How many times should I tell you?"

Clinging to my arm again, like she always does, we sit in silence, savoring each other's presence. Public display of affection rules aren't really imposed that much in Yamaku, saved for the dormitory patrols. But even that can't stop hormones, and hormonal teenagers.

"Say, I still think there's something missing," I say, pulling apart from her.

"What?" she asks, looking at me with wide eyes.

I take a deep breath again, mustering my courage. I can do this. Considering everything we've just been through, this should be cakewalk.

"Yuki… I-… I-… Iloveyou!" I say, facepalming afterwards. There, I said it.

Her shocked expression is something I would treasure forever.

"Say what? I couldn't hear you the first time," she says, breaking into a smile.

"I love you! D-don't make me say it again!" I say, covering my face.

Yuki pulls my hand away from my face, and gives me a short kiss on the cheek. Oh god, I just had my first kiss on the cheek from a girl my age. I could die now.

"Well, Ryuuji, if that's how you feel about me, then I," she gives me a soft tap on the nose, "love" another on the lips, "you" a final one, on my chest right where my heart is. Damn, with all these feels I'm feeling right now, I feel like my heart's going to explode. Out of the sheer vanilla-ness of the situation.

We stay stuck together for the next few minutes, until a quick check on the watch on my right arm shows just five minutes before curfew. We walk down to the dorms and find ourselves at a crossroads, so to speak.

"So yeah… I guess… I'll see you tomorrow, Ryuuji!" she says, giving me a small peck on the cheek again.

"Nighty night, Yuki!" I say, waving. I watch her enter the dorm, and turn around to go in myself, only to find myself standing in front of the nurse, a very wide grin on his face.

"You work fast, Ryuuji!" he says, patting my back, and slipping something in my palm.

"Use protection, you hear!" he winks, and walks away with a wave. I don't even have time to think about why he was there when I hastily put away the small foil packet he gave me.

Protection, huh? I guess we're going to need it, eventually. I chuckle with myself at the sudden turn of events and head on off to my dorm room to get a whole night of sleep. For the first time in many nights, I fall asleep peacefully, thinking I may have found happiness, at last.

The future is something to look forward too, it seems. Now, it's not just my future. It's OUR future.

* * *

**Post A/N:**

**Yes, the Lilium music box is the same Lilium music box as in Elfen Lied, because I'm watching the anime as I write this story and felt that Sarabande from BWV1010 was already Lilly's theme. I don't think that counts as a crossover, does it? Let's just say the music box traveled through a wormhole to the KS universe. Yeah. **

**In fact, never mind that explaination, I am invoking author trope power: Willing Suspension of Disbelief.  
**

**Happy Reading!  
**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)  
**


	7. Act II, Part II: Accelerando

**Part 2: Accelerando**

I sit in the Newspaper Club's room, doing the best I could with their ancient computer. I had my old computer sent over here to help, but apparently it won't arrive for another week. I sigh as another picture takes minutes to load, given that it's in a RAW file format.

"Hey, no slacking off!" says Natsume, running over the layouts.

"I'm not. The computer is, though," I say, showing her the screen.

Naomi is busy with arranging the publishing, while Yuki… well, she's still writing. The picture loads and I start editing it, cropping and color correcting, while everyone else does their own jobs. It takes me another half-hour to edit, especially with the computer freezing every minute or so. Finally, I set the mouse down, and rest back in the chair.

"Done! The third picture is finally done! How many did you need again?" I ask.

"About twenty or so," says Natsume, checking my work. She gives me as small pat on the back for my effort and goes back to her own article.

Huh. Newspaper Club is a very harsh club if you're working close to the deadline. And most of our writings ends up in the trash, anyway, as students don't read that much anymore. I sigh again as I work the grinder for the next two hours. Or two eternities.

"Okay! That's enough work for today, everyone, else you might complain me to the administration," says Natsume, rising from her seat. Well, at least she still cares about us, not like some club leaders.

I groan as my back creaks from sitting and hulking over the computer for too long, and take a while to adjust my eyes to the dimly lit room again. If this keeps up, I'll definitely be blind by the time I finish high school. Natsume and Naomi bids us farewell as they go along doing whatever it is they always do together and leave me and Yuki alone to clean up the room.

"What do they always do together?" I ask Yuki.

"Oh, you know. Girl stuff. Or if you ask me," she says, leaning closer, "I think they're going out. It's a secret to everyone."

I stack the chairs and make sure everything is accounted for before turning off the lights and locking the doors. I keep the key along with the other dozen keys I have on the key ring hanging from my belt hoop.

"That key ring is awful, stop wearing it all the time," says Yuki, laughing at my ridiculousness.

"Hey, if it works, it works!" I say, toying around with it. "Why'd you guys make me the 'Managing Editor' anyway?"

"Because you're the one who can wear a key ring in his belt hoop?" she says, laughing.

We walk down the steadily darkening grounds at a slow pace, with her latched on my arm, as always. She hasn't been using her cane lately, but still carries it around in her bag in case we need to part. Glancing at my watch, we decide to sit down and rest for a while on one of the benches.

"Say, what are your plans for the upcoming festival?" she asks.

"Wait, another festival? What is this about?"

"Aren't you from Japan? Tanabata's the first week of July!" she says, laughing.

Tanabata, huh? I always thought it was celebrated during August. Maybe it's just a regional difference. What do I do during Tanabata? I vaguely remember playing with fishes, shooting up prizes, and fireworks. Just the same, I guess.

"The same as what I always do, I guess," I say.

"That's not good at all! You should always make a plan on what to do, or else you'll just waste your time."

Oh, so we planned what we were doing during the school festival then?

"No. That's because you just came recently, Ryuuji!" she says, pouting. Wait, did I say that out loud or is she a mind reader after all?

"The Tanabata festival's held here in school, right? So does that mean I've got to take pictures again?" I ask.

"Of course. You are our only hope, Ryuuji," she says, her eyes pleading. Okay, they're really not, but who are you to question my imagination?

"Ok, fine. But as long as I get something out of it!" I say, sticking my tongue out.

We both laugh and continue on to the dorms as night falls, and arrive at the doors just before I went completely blind. We wave each other goodbye, and go into our own dormitories. I guess I have to plan what to do in Tanabata after all.

* * *

"Hey, Yuki, wha—"

I say, surprised. And I mean really surprised. The summer festival is in full swing, at night. Thankfully, lights are all around the place and I can maneuver around pretty easily. I decided to wear my best photographers gear. Which is just a shirt, jeans, my camera bag, tripod, another satchel for memory cards, another satchel for my lenses, and a satchel for my personal belongings.

Yuki, on the other hand, wear a yukata. Somewhat form fitting too, attracting my gaze, and the gaze of all men around a 15 meter radius. Some of whom are instantly brought back to their own realities by their own girlfriends. Yeah, that's right, leave her alone, she's mine.

"I hope I don't look too bad," says Yuki, collapsing her cane and handing it to me. It takes me some time to realize she doesn't have any bags with her. I take her cane and put it in my personal belongings bag.

"Uh… no, you uh… look absolutely stunning," I say, fumbling around with my bag.

"Oh you, you're just saying that," she says, clinging on my arm. It feels different, somehow. Like it's softer… oh what am I saying. I can't really describe it, especially since I don't think I'm supposed to say anything MA+ rated.

"So, uh… should we just go take pictures?" I ask her. She just nods and we roam around the school grounds, taking pictures of stalls, displays and whatnot. It seems that the armless girl hadn't made another mural, though.

Other students seem to enjoy themselves as well, some of them I know by face. The student council president and her interpreter seem to be having fun by the ice cream stall, though they seem to be a bit tired. I guess having a classmate get into an accident is particularly hard on you, especially if you've been close to them. I don't know, I'm the one who got into an accident.

The armless girl and no-legs-tan seems to be friends, as I see them hanging around the candy apples stall. The armless one still looks like she's been hitting something up, with that distant look on her face, while no-legs-tan is still as active as ever.

One of the prominent students I can't see, pardon the pun, is the blind girl from 3-2. Satou, I think, was her name. So is the student with purple hair who kept on sneaking around. Maybe they're on their own to have their own fun, like Natsume and Naomi. Haha.

"Say, Ryuuji," asks Yuki, biting into a candy apple. "Who are you talking to, all the time?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're always describing things around you," she says, looking at me suspiciously.

"Oh. I was saying that out loud? I thought I was just thinking it. Or are you a mind reader?" it's my turn to look at her suspiciously.

"Nah, don't worry, I do it too," she says, smiling. Under the soft light of the lanterns, her smile is a class-A heart attack inducing weapon. I am so glad I'm one of the few people she shows it to.

After an hour of walking around aimlessly, in contrary to the plans I had, I end up using all my cards. I decide to call it a day with the photography and we both head to the dorms so I can leave my bags and enjoy the festival for the next few hours or so.

"Say, you've been to my room a few times already, but I've never been to yours," I point out.

"Well, you never asked," she says, "but not tonight," she adds.

Well, that went smooth. I don't know whether to feel like I've just been turned down or not, since I didn't really ask her out. I decide to leave it ambiguous and head out with her once again into the hustle and bustle of the festival, now in full swing, and enjoy.

"Say, Ryuuji, you said you shot a bit, right?" she asks.

"Well, yeah. Wait, I think I know where this is going," I say as we near the shooting game.

I sigh as she looks expectantly at me, and I pay for a couple of rounds. This is different from what I'm used to. The rifle, everything is just… weird feeling. I take a few breaths and sight down and shoot. A couple of times.

* * *

"Don't feel too bad," she says, patting me in the back. I hand her the rifle and pay for another five shots. She leans forward and her curves— well, you don't need me to explain that.

She takes her five shots and knocks down the prize she wants. Another big bruise to my ego. Ouch.

"Now that wasn't too bad, was it," she says, turning around to find me staring at her. "Hey, stop staring, you pervert!"

"I wasn't staring! I was… admiring your… stance. Yeah, let's just put it at that."

She latches on to me again, and this time we find ourselves a nice area for the fireworks. I find a small clearing near the forest by the school, which is quite secluded too, because, you know, just in case.

"This is nice," I say.

"Yeah, quite secluded too. Was that your original plan?" she asks, lying down on my lap as we sit on the grass.

"Not really, but if it works, it works."

"You always say that," she says, sitting up. This time, she leans against me, and I feel her body heat heating me up in the chilly summer night. I breathe in deeply. She smells good. Maybe it's the shampoo. Or just pheromones.

"Hey Ryuuji," she asks, looking at me.

"Hmm?"

"Why'd you agree to go out with me even if you know I'm a walking time bomb?"

"Yuki… stop saying that."

"Well, it's the truth, isn't it, Ryuuji? We don't know if I'll suddenly get worse tomorrow. My disease tends to do that. I've been the most stable since the time we discovered I had ataxia. I—" she continues, but I stop her.

I pull her closer to me and lock her in a hug. I feel her sobbing and let her pour out all her feelings on me, until she finally calmed down. I wipe off her tears and look into her eyes, lit up by the moonlight.

"Yuki. It doesn't matter. What matters is that I'll be with you until the very end. Love does endure all things, you know."

She chuckles softly snuggling up to me. "You just quoted the bible."

Huh, so she read that much.

We bask in each other's warmth as we cuddle in the moonlight, our minds locked in our own little world. We don't care anymore if anyone sees us; we don't care if anyone else finds us. What's important is that we're together. And we will be, if the fates are willing, forever.

"Yuki…"  
"Ryuuji?"

"I love you."

We both lean in as the fireworks start, and we share a kiss. A deep kiss that conveyed all our feelings together, and stay that way for what felt like an eternity for me. My first kiss with my first girlfriend.

We both sit back and watch the fireworks, cuddled up under the stars. If things were different, if only we hadn't had these 'disabilities', we would be the perfect couple in the world. But maybe we are, in our own way.

The fireworks explode in brilliant colors, lighting up everything around us. And in my arms lay the person I love the most.

If only we had all the time in the world together.


	8. Act II, Part III: Blue Skies

**Part 3: Blue Skies**

"So any plans for your summer break?"

Yuki asks me as we work on a particularly tricky layout. I think for a while before giving out my answer.

"Well, I was thinking about going back to our er… 'Vacation House' somewhere in the countryside. It's not really a big house, it's my grandparents' before, they, well, you know what happens during old age."

She laughs at my little joke and saves the file. We're left cleaning the club room again, as the dynamic duo suddenly disappeared over the course of Tanabata. I fear they may have been abducted by a UFO. Or whisked back in time to meet a girl who can change the world, or something.

"How about you?" I ask her, stacking the chairs up in a single pile.

"Nothing, really. I usually spend it here in school, because I don't really like going back home."

"So why don't you come with me?"

"Hey, now, aren't you going a bit too fast?" she says, teasing. "Well, alright, I guess I'll come with you, if it's okay?"

I secretly fist pump my inner self, at his ingenious plan, and show a great big smile to Yuki. Oh yes, my summer's definitely going to be fun. Well, perhaps not in THAT way, but maybe in another way.

"Alrighty then! It's decided! It's going to be a Ryuuji-Yuki summer outing!" I say, laughing.

Yuki facepalms beside me, the first time I see her do it. Usually, it's the other way around.

* * *

"Why did we have to take the train?" she asks, watching the countryside pass by.

"Because I like trains," I say, opening the window a crack. The sudden breeze nearly pulls off my glasses before I drop the window closed.

"But it's so… slow," she says, scooting over next to me.

"Well, yeah, but you know, this is a private booth," I say, snickering.

"NO!" she says, pushing me away, but rests her head on my shoulder afterwards.

"If you're going to spend the rest of the trip like that, I won't mind," I say, pulling her closer.

She merely hums a yes and promptly falls asleep. I guess waking her up at five in the morning just to catch a train is a bad thing to do. I watch the countryside pass by for a few more minutes until sleep overtakes me too, and I find my eyelids drooping.

The screeching of the wheels as the train brakes into the station jolts me into wakefulness. Yuki does, too, and after an awkward moment of realizing we've both been drooling all over the place, we pick up our bags and head out. More like I picked up our bags and we headed out, with Yuki using her cane this time, because of the bags.

I still can't find out why she packed so much for three days.

We take a hike down the road, since taxis rarely accept going to our vacation home, and arrive late in the afternoon. No one's home, but the house looked like it was cleaned recently. Such is the power of being stuck in time.

"So yeah, we've got bedrooms here, living room here, and kitchen. The oh so wonderful kitchen. Should I put our bags together or are you going to sleep next door?" I ask, showing her around the house.

"You know the answer to that," she says, dragging me to the main bedroom. I gratefully dump the two heavy bags and stretch my back out. Hearing it crack is just so satisfying.

"Say, want to check out the shed outside?" I ask her, taking her hand.

"What, you got lemon lube, or something?" she says. I don't know what she's talking about. Maybe something from that visual novel she plays.

"Wha—? Never mind, just follow!" I say, dragging her out to the field next to the house.

Okay, so the house was from my grandparents. Yeah, it's a small house. But I didn't say anything about the lot. Oh, no no no. The lot is huge. And by huge, I mean that it's a farm, really, turned into a vacation house when we found out we didn't know how to grow wheat. And now the old wheat field is now a huge field of wild grass and wild flowers.

"Okay, that's a nice history lesson there, Ryuuji, but what are you showing me in this, dark, cramped shed?" she asks. I don't question her anymore as to how she knows my thoughts. I've come to accept that she's a mind reader.

"Well, remember the time I told the class I shot?" I say, flicking on the switch. The light blinds me for a few seconds as my eyes adjusted.

"Yeah, it was the only interesting bit of information we got from you," she says, giggling.

I dig around the boxes, and find what I'm looking for. "This is Katerina. Say hello to Katerina!" I say, holding up the rifle I got from my father.

"Katerina? What's that, Russian? And is that even legal?!" she says, shocked.

"Katerina is a Russian Mosin-Nagant, after all, and I think it's legal. No one really cares out here, anyway."

I hand it out to her and she takes it with trembling hands. Whether from excitement, fear, her ataxia, or something else, I don't know. She runs her fingers over the markings of the rifle, from the bolt to the crudely etched "Katerina" on its stock.

"Okay, maybe that's enough. You might end up shooting me," I say, taking it from her. She looked quite reluctant to let go of Katerina, actually.

I take one look at her crestfallen face and know right away.

"Yuki, I never knew you were that kind of a woman. I'll let you play with Katerina tomorrow, when there's a shining sun, otherwise, I won't be able to see anything," I say, sticking out my tongue and putting the rifle back in its crate.

* * *

I take Yuki back to the house for dinner, and decide to cook for the both of us. It's a bit of a struggle, seeing as I haven't cooked in months, but I end up making an okay job out of it. After a few minutes, I serve my specialty, Explosion a la Plate, which is basically egg with cheese that exploded. It is in no way related to Omelette au Fromage.

"This is quite good, Ryuuji-kun!" she says, gulping down mouthfuls of burnt cheese and egg.

"Yeah, well, I think it was a major fail."

"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself. At least you can cook."

"Wait, are you implying you can't? You're not going to be a good wife at that, you know."

She stays silent and steals my share as a response. Sometimes, I hate her when it comes to food. She sticks her tongue out as I scrape cheese off my plate to go along with the rice.

"I'm not implying I can't. I'm saying I can't. But oh, won't you marry me either way?"

"That's a bit too far ahead, Yuki."

"Right, and we're spending our first night together. In the same bed. All alone in a house far, far away from anyone."

"And I won't do anything, promise!" I says, cleaning up the table. Yuki heads out of the kitchen to change while I end up cleaning. I'm pretty sure it's usually the other way around. Oh well, gender equality at its finest. Or role reversal, more like it.

I knock on the bedroom door a few minutes later as a precaution. I really don't want to walk into someone changing, even if she is my girlfriend.

"Hey, you going to change the whole night or what?" I ask, waiting.

The knob opens and I find Yuki wearing pajamas. Floral pink form fitting pajamas. She really likes form fitting things, for some odd reason. I try not to think about what's underneath her clothes as I look for mine in my bag. After a few minutes of trying to hide, getting concerned about a certain someone peeking at me changing, and then realizing I could've kicked her out of the room while I was changing after I was done, we both end up lying down on the bed.

It's a bit musty, but then again, no one's been here for months.

"So, any plans?" she asks, cuddling close to me.

"No, I don't really have any plans," I say, turning away from her.

"Right, right, you don't have any plans. Why don't we make one?" she says, sticking closer to me. And by closer, I mean…

"Hey, no seducing, or else I'll handcuff you to the bed," I say, turning toward her this time. Not really a good move, but still.

She's really assertive in bed, that I can say.

"I didn't know you liked that kind of play," she says, smiling wickedly. Oh, so scary. Just like class rep back in the days. I feel a shiver run down my spine.

"No, I don't really…" I begin, but then she hugs me tight and I'm lost for words. I guess her pent up energy is gone and we're back to being a lovey dovey couple.

"Nah, just joking Ryuuji. I don't mind as long as I got something to cuddle up to for the night," she says, nuzzling my neck. Aw, shucks, she just looks so cute at this state.

"Yeah, well, it's getting a bit late, too, so why don't we turn in?" I say, returning the gesture, pulling her closer.

She nods sleepily and settles herself on me. I find myself comforted by this, and with the cold night contrasting our body heat, I slowly fall asleep as well.

* * *

The first rays of the sun peeking through the curtains wakes me up from my peaceful slumber. It was definitely one of my most peaceful nights. Yuki is still clinging to me, though my arm feels numb as she slept on it the whole night. I push her away gently, as to not wake her, and decide to heat up some water for early morning coffee and cook our breakfast.

As I sit near the window, watching the early morning routines of the grasslands with a cup of coffee in my hand, someone suddenly puts her hands on my eyes. I had to suppress my first instinct of throwing my scalding coffee back.

"Who is it?" I ask.

"A thief," she replies.

"Oh, what did you steal?" I reply, sipping my coffee. It's still a bit too hot.

"Your heart," she says, breaking out in giggles. I end up drinking half my cup in lieu of a facepalm. It hurts, but feels so good.

She leans forward and I give her what she wants. An early morning kiss. My first one too, and probably hers as well. She giggles at this and blushes deeply. I want to kiss her more, but hold myself back. I might end up with a sexual harassment lawsuit if that happens. We both eat our breakfast and prepare for the day.

"You go in the bath first," she says.

"What about you?" I ask.

"I've got something to… prepare."

That definitely sounds like something fishy. I decide to take the bait anyway, man up, and march straight into the bath. Not more than a few minutes in, someone enters the bath wearing a towel. Only.

"H-hey, Yuki? What the?"

"Oh shut up. I know you were hoping for this, so let me wash your back!" she says, her arms crossed in front of her, covering herself the best she could.

"Yeah, right. Big problem, I'm NAKED!" I say, sinking deeper into the tub. Perhaps 'big' was not the proper word to use here.

"Then I'll just join you," she says, unfastening the towel. I turn away as she clambers into the tub which, fortunately, fit the two of us. It's a bit cramped, but still. You know. Lucky me. Oh yeah.

"Hey, watch where you're placing your feet!" I tell her.

"Oh it's fine, it's fine. You can see me under the water, anyway. Don't worry, I can see you too," she adds, smirking. I try to hide myself and splash some water on her.

"Hey! No splashing," she says, splashing back.

For a couple of minutes, we fight like kids in the water, well, apart from the erotic tension, we were just kids in the water.

* * *

"Let's… not do that again for a very, very long time," I say, sneezing.

"Yeah, maybe a few months from now," she says.

It took us surprisingly long to realize we were both naked and the situation suddenly became awkward. After a few ideas, we decided to screw it and both stood up at the same time. Still awkward, seeing each other naked for the first time. But we got over it quickly, I think.

We dressed up for the day, after not being able to look eye to eye for the next half hour and headed off to the shed to pick up Katerina. The range isn't so far from the house, and almost no one uses it during summer, for some reason. With the both of us being 18, we could legally use the range for target practice. Or at least they allowed us, anyway.

"So it's okay here?" asks Yuki, glancing at the stalls. Aside from a few people here and there, the range is totally deserted.

"Yeah, it's fine. Here, let me teach you the basics," I say, handing over the rifle to her.

I teach her as much as I could about the gun laws, and how to handle firearms properly. She does seem eager to learn about them too, and absorbs the information like a sponge. Then came the live firing.

"N-no, Yuki, hold it like this. You'll have a hard time adjusting to recoil," I say, helping her position herself. As eager as she is, she's having quite a hard time with it. Even I do, sometimes.

"L-like this?" she says, breathing heavily.

"Yeah, just relax, then pull the trigger slowly."

She relaxes, and slowly, ever so slowly, pulls the trigger. The shot echoes off into the distance, and she misses the target by a mile. But on her face is excitement I remember having once before.

"I did it!" she says, jumping up. I instinctively jump down as she stands, just in case she forgets she's holding a live rifle and swings it around.

"Y-yeah, you did," I say, picking myself up.

"Let's do it some more," she says, her words filled with passion. I check my supplies and find out I have more than enough ammunition to last me a battle.

* * *

"And that's that!"

I pack up Katerina along with her scope, which we used a couple of times, and headed out with Yuki, both of us with ears ringing from the shooting we've done for three hours straight. I thank the range master and we both head back to the house.

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it?" I ask her.

Yuki does seem to have had fun in the range today, despite some bruises we both got from Katerina.

"Y-yeah, especially when I started hitting targets instead of missing them a mile off," she says, smiling.

It's Yuki's turn to cook today, and I have fun watching her try her best in cooking. Despite a few burnt ingredients here and there, she cooked up something good. Though I do have a lot to clean up afterward, but what the heck, it was fun, anyway.

"This is nice," I say, tasting her cooking.

"You're just saying that," she says, pouting.

"Nah, you're good at cooking. You just need more experience."

We both laugh and continue with some small talk throughout the lunch time. I decide to help her clean up the mess in the kitchen, partly from her cooking, and partly from my own meddling, and we both head out to the wide field outside for some fresh air.

"It's nice here, you know," she says, lying down on the grass.

"Yeah. I think I'll take the house when I have to live on my own," I say, sitting next to her.

"You'll take me with you, won't you?"

"Of course I will, silly."

I lie next to her, and we both share a kiss under the afternoon sun, and wait out the hours as the sky slowly turns from a vivid blue to a warm orange. It's amazing how fast time can fly when you're with someone you love, despite not doing anything. Pretty soon, it was time to return to the house as the surroundings got darker and the night creatures crawled out, and we settled in for the night.

"Hey, Ryuuji?" asks Yuki, cuddling close to me under the sheets.

"Yeah?" I wrap an arm around her to pull her closer.

"Thanks for bringing me here. I had fun today," she says, nuzzling my neck.

"Yeah, I had fun too."

"I mean it," she says, looking into my eyes. "Thanks for everything, I'll never forget this, no matter what happens."

"I know you won't."

I pull her closer, feeling our warmth merging, a comforting feeling at night. I wish I could have this every single night of my life.

"I love you," she says.

"I love you too," I reply, cuddling her close as we both fall asleep.

And with that, our second day of our Ryuuji-Yuki summer outing is gone. And before we knew it, it was time to go back to Yamaku, but not without precious memories we would keep forever.

* * *

**Post A/N:**

**This was an awkward chapter, that I admit. I definitely did not have any idea whatsoever about gun laws, even here in my home country, so I apologize for the readers offended (or something) by my lack of gun law knowledge.  
**

**Other than that, happy reading everyone!  
**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)  
**


	9. Act II, Part IV: Back in the Loop

**Part 4: Back in the Loop**

Classes resumed a week after we got back from our impromptu trip. Because of it being the first day of classes after the vacation, the teachers were a bit lighter towards us than they normally were. Even Takasu and Mutou, whose classes were back to back, seemed to have a bit of hangover, literally.

"So just… answer those exercises and pass them tomorrow," says Mutou, groggily erasing the board. "Class dismissed."

The students scramble out of the classroom as soon as the first syllable came out of his mouth. I see him sigh a bit, but I guess he's used to it now. Yuki tugs on my cuff and we go to the club room, which is our usual hang out spot, even without Natsume and Naomi.

I sit back on my chair, looking out the window while Yuki types her article on the computer when a knock comes from the door. A very timid knock, to be precise. One you wouldn't hear, unless you're blind, going blind, or is some superhero with super hearing.

I open the door to find a purple haired girl hiding behind a club application form.

"U-um… is this the newpaper club?" she asks, shifting. I can't see her clearly so I call Yuki over.

"Oh, hey, is that a club application form? Yes, this is the newspaper club," says Yuki, shambling over to the door.

"I-I… I'dliketoapplyfortheclub," says the girl, turning bright red. Or maybe it's just her scars. I can't really tell. Damn, my eyesight's getting worse.

"Come again," says Yuki, smiling.

"I'd like to join the club, if I could," says the purple haired girl. She looks uneasy so we invite her in the room and close the door behind her. The click of the knob locking in place makes her jump a bit. I guess she's not used to being with people in a locked room, let alone two.

"Good, now, you wouldn't mind a few questions, right?" asks Yuki. As senior club member in the room, it falls up to her to interview the applicant.

"A-actually, I talked to Ooe-san earlier after classes ended and she said to just hand this over to you," say the purple haired girl, handing over a handmade questionnaire by Natsume. I guess Natsume did know more about the girl than us.

"Okay, so. Welcome to the club, Ikezawa-chan," says Yuki, grinning. Ikezawa flinches a bit at the nickname, and shakes her head.

"N-no, just call me Hanako. Hanako's fine."

It turns out, Hanako was pretty good with the computer, and had the creativity I did not have. So that placed her right away as our layout editor. And with her joining, the Newspaper Club was once again an official school club, with the minimum five members.

We work in general silence for a few more hours until the sun started to set. I take a glance at my right arm unconsciously and read my watch. 5:30 in the afternoon. I shut down my own computer and decide to call it a day. Yuki agrees and thanks Hanako again before we close down for the day.

"See you tomorrow, Hanako!" I say as she walks off, giving a shy wave our way.

We watch her disappear around the corner of the hall before making our own way down to the dorms.

"Well, at least we have more members now," says Yuki, clinging close to me.

"Even if she is a bit shy, at least she's very good at layouts," I say, taking her hand in mine.

We walk down the grounds, like we always do, feeling the chill breeze of the coming fall. Pretty soon, we'd be changing into warmer uniforms, as the winter sets in. Yuki clings closer to me to keep warm.

"You're not getting tired of this, are you?" she asks, looking at me.

"No, of course not, silly," I say, smiling.

Who could get tired of walking with a cute girl every afternoon?

* * *

We part ways in front of the dormitories, as usual, and I make my way down to my room. I settle in for the night, looking forward to the next day.

Our first Saturday after the vacation is as dull as the last week of classes. Takasu dismisses us earlier than usual and we all scramble off to our own ways, with me and Yuki making a beeline for the dormitories before Natsume and Naomi catches us. It's their turn to watch over the club room, and this way, they can't pull rank over us and make us do it.

After changing into our casuals, Yuki and I make our way down to the town to have tea in the Shanghai. As is usual during Saturdays, and maybe even every day of the week, the Shanghai is silent, save for a few other patrons here and there.

"Hello, Yuuko," I say as Yuuko flinches at the sound of the chime. She's still as neurotic as ever.

"We-welcome to the Shangai!" she says, bowing.

"We'll just have the usual," says Yuki, guiding me to a nearby booth. Yuko bows once again and scurries on behind the counter.

"I guess she's still the same old Yuuko even after the break," I say, playing around with the tissue dispenser.

"Well, what do you expect? Though she has been a bit shook up ever since that incident during the school festival. I think she's actually quite close to that Setou fellow, or at least she was."

Yuuko returns quickly with our food, and with a short bow and a small smile, leaves the both of us alone. I guess she could feel the love in the air or something. Yuki and I eat in peace with some small talk in between, and after a few minutes, we step out into the bright mid-afternoon sun. It's not as hot as summer now, since fall is coming, so we decide to go to the park for the time being.

"Say, this is a nice place," I comment.

"Well, it is a park. Have you ever seen a park that's not nice?" she says, smirking.

"I did come from the city, you know? Lots of smog, and parks that look quite dead."

She laughs at my description of the city and we find a park bench to rest on. After a quick trip to the vending machine, I plop down onto the hard wrought iron bench. Not a good idea, as I soon find out.

"Ouch, that hurt."

"Well, you are a tall person, and the bench is hard, so," she says, taking her mocha. Caffeine seems to be one thing the both of us are addicted to. Aside from eating too much.

"Oh shut up," I say, taking a sip from my cappuccino. I swirl the bittersweet liquid around in my mouth before I swallow it. Yuki busies herself looking at the birds nesting in the tree in front of us.

So this is how a relationship feels like, huh? We're closer, closer than we've been when we first met. And we're still the best of friends, aside from being lovers. That simple thought brings a small smile to my face. Yuki, always the keen observer, notices it right away.

"You're smiling. What are you thinking about, hm?" she says, nudging my side.

"Nothing. The world. How I'm going to clean my laundry."

"Riiight, laundry. Uhuh. Nothing about the cute girl currently resting on your shoulder?"

I snort derisively, and give her a playful knock on the head. She returns the gesture by tickling me in my side. My weakest spot. I surrender right away.

"Okay, fine. I was thinking how I'd push you down on the bed."

Another tickle.

"Stop thinking perverted things, you perv. Even if we did see each other naked already," she says, sticking her tongue out. She's just so cute that I want to eat her. Probably not the best description but that's how I feel right now.

"Nothing perverted. Right. Okay, I was thinking about our current relationship, and how it's progressing," I say.

"There, that's the answer I was looking for," says Yuki, giving me a peck on the cheek. Screw PDA rules, we're out of campus anyway. Besides, Yamaku doesn't have PDA rules.

I return her peck, on her lips, and she blushes a bright red. I notice an elderly couple looking at us, with a grin on their faces. I could've sworn the old man even gave me a thumbs up. Suddenly feeling embarrassed, I play around with my collar while Yuki hides her face on my arm. I feel my inner self facepalm on the turn of events, yet again.

"Hey, uh… why don't we go somewhere more… private?" I propose. Oh, damn, wrong choice of words.

Yuki blushes a bit but then nods. We take a walk around the park for a while, holding hands, and decide a small clearing behind thick bushes was the perfect spot. Not for anything lewd, just for privacy, because, you know.

"This is perfect," I say, slumping down against the roots of a nearby tree. Yuki follows suit, settling herself on my lap.

"Hey, Ryuuji, you don't mind, do you?" she asks, shifting around a bit. Oh, god, no.

"N-no, not really. Just… just ignore anything you feel," I say.

We stay like this for a while, until we realize that this spot is somewhat… very secluded. And by secluded, I mean that the ground is lined with foil packs. Tiny, square foil packs. It takes no genius to find out what they are. Yuki tenses at the realization, and her breathing somewhat becomes heavier. Is she… getting turned on by the thoughts?

"Uh… Yuki?" I ask. She doesn't speak, but takes my hands and wraps it around her waist. She's clearly onto something. And… something in the background too. Behind the other clumps of bushes, we hear rustling leaves and… muffled voices?

"A-are they…" I whisper to Yuki. She merely nods and bites her lip. No wonder she's worked up.

"Ryuuji, I'm…" she says, turning towards me. She leans in and kisses me. Somehow, her kiss is different this time. Did we just trip a flag? My hands run under her shirt and she offers no protest. The feeling of her skin almost drives me to the point of no return. Suddenly, she breaks off and pushes me away.

"N-no, not again!" she says, slumping backwards. A warm, wet feeling runs down my leg.

"Y-Yuki? Are you okay?" I ask. I quickly run through symptoms that her spinocerebellar ataxia could bring. Loss of bladder control is one, linked to her loss of muscle control.

"Ryuuji, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," she says, hiding her face in embarrassment.

She points to her bag and I open it, finding her packed change of clothes. I help her up and over to a restroom where I clean up and she changes. Unfortunately for me, I didn't bring a change of pants myself, so I end up simply washing it down with water from the tap.

Yuki comes out of the girl's restroom, her head low, and her cane out. Looks like she's too embarrassed to even look at me right now. I need to cheer her up somehow.

"Hey, Yuki," I say, moving closer. She responds by moving farther away.

We walk like this until we reach the bus stop, where we take a short ride up to the top of the hill back to Yamaku. I walk with her to the dorms where we part ways, with neither words nor farewells exchanged. The sky is still a warm orange late afternoon so I decide to take a nap to take my mind off things for a while and pass the time.

* * *

I wake up after only half an hour, and decide to give Yuki a visit while there's still time. I do a quick change of clothes and walk down to the girls' dorm. The curfew's still not in effect so there are no night guards wandering yet. Besides, if she could enter the boys' dorm without trouble, then I can enter the girls' too. I think.

A few minutes after I got inside the girls' dorm, I realize that I don't know where her room is. I decide to ask the first person I see, a dirty blonde haired second year student, by her looks.

"Uh… you wouldn't know Yuki's room by any chance, would you?"

The girl leans on her cane for a while, thinking. "Yeah, she's in the same wing as me. We all are, actually. Makes it easier for the school to respond to emergencies," she says nonchalantly.

I follow her up the staircase and down to Yuki's door where she leaves me to go attend to her own business. I wonder what she meant by, 'We all are'. Maybe they all have ataxia or something similar. I shake these thoughts out of my head and knock on Yuki's door.

No answer.

I knock again, a bit harder this time. I hear a shuffle behind the door and her face peeks through barely a crack.

"Ryuuji? Why are you here?" she says, turning away.

"Yuki, are you mad at me?" I ask.

"No, just… just leave me alone for a while," she says, closing the door.

Whatever came into my mind at this time, I want to kill it. I quickly put my hand against the door jamb, preventing it from closing. A sudden pain surges up my arm and I feel like screaming. God damn it, why didn't I use my fully armored, or more like shoed, foot instead?

"Ouch, damn," I say, pulling back. Yuki opens the door when she finds me holding my hand, a small gash bleeding.

"Ryuuji… why?" she asks, looking at me.

"Because you kept running away from me," I say, stepping into her room. She doesn't protest, nor throw me out. In contrary, she locks the door behind her and sits on her bed. I sit next to her.

"Aren't you ashamed of me? Disgusted, even?" she asks, sobbing.

"Why would I be?" I tell her, wiping off her tears with my uninjured hand. Thankfully, I used my right hand to block the door, and my left hand remains safe.

"Because I… I…" she says, hiding her face in her hands. "I just did something disgusting in front of you!"

"Yuki, I told you. I'll love you for everything you are," I say, pulling her into an embrace. I find this an effective method of comforting.

"But I'm disgusting. E-everyone I know talks about me that way behind my back! Just because of this stupid disease. I can't control it. I get accidents."

She continues to cry, and I pull her closer, letting her sob on me. My shirt's getting wet, but I don't care about that, as long as my girlfriend cheers up. Finally, her breathing relaxes, and she looks up at me. This is the second time I've seen her like this. And she's still as cute as ever.

She cups my face in her hands, and leans in. I feel her lips press against me as her hands run down from my face to my neck, pulling me closer. I lean forwards and we both fall on her bed. I break off, sensing that we might be crossing a major line if we continue.

"Yuki… are you okay with this?" I ask.

"I'm okay with it," she says, smiling. "As long as it's you."

I take a glance at my watch and my worst fear is realized.

"Crap, curfew," I say.

"You can stay here, you know. They don't really check bedrooms, especially here."

"Fine, I'll sleep on the floor," I say, sitting up. Yuki pulls me down again. God, this up-down motion's going to make me so dizzy, I might be the one ending up with an accident.

"No! Stay here. I want someone to cuddle," she says, adding another dose of cuteness in her voice.

I sigh and reach for the light switch, and grope my way around, tripping over the bed and onto Yuki. She lets out a faint squeak and giggles. It seems I landed on something soft and warm… oh shit. I sit up and lie next to her, or at least I think I do.

"Uh… I-I'm sorry," I say, turning on my side.

"Nah, it's fine," she says, scooting closer to me. "Hey, Ryuuji."

"What?"

"Thanks."

I smile at her words and she cuddles up to me as we turn in for the night.

I meet the nurse outside the dorms the next morning, while sneaking out. Why does he keep appearing mysteriously outside the dorms at the most inopportune moments? He gives me a wide grin, and says, "Keep the nightly exercises to a minimum, you hear? And use protection!"

Yamaku's staff, or maybe just the nurse, is strangely supportive of their students' nightly shenanigans.

* * *

**Post A/N:**

**Another awkward chapter, brought to you, by me.**

***SPOILER TAG***

**Hanako's joining the Newspaper Club actually happens in the VN, Lilly's Route, so it's no turkey sandwich. She's still a bit OOC, I think. I'm not really that good at adopting other people's characters.  
**

***SPOILER OVER*  
**

**Other than that, we're halfway through the awkward story of Ryuuji's life. Yes, halfway. The whole story amounts to some 41,948 words. So good luck reading all that :D**

**Happy reading everyone!  
**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)  
**


	10. Act III, Part I: The Return

**ACT 3: Conflict**

**Part 1: The Return**

The cold air of fall forces me to wear my blazer earlier than I intended, and it's still cold, despite a sweater underneath. God damn this cold October. Yuki had to leave today to do some work in the club, and they gave me a day off so she could focus. I can't blame her, though. Ever since we've spent that night together, she's been distracted by me. Maybe too distracted.

I rub my hands together as I enter the warmth of the dormitories, and say hi to the others in the common room. I've been making other friends apart from Yuki, after all. I decide to see what needs doing in my room when I find out someone's moved right across the hall from me. A hallmate, this late in the school year? I wonder who?

I knock on my hallmate's door and it opens, revealing a boy with mousy hair. Wait, he's—

"Hello, Hisao Nakai, your new hallmate," he says, extending his hand for a handshake.

I take it, shocked at seeing him.

"But… you… then the roof… and we found… then… doctors…" I stammer, and Hisao seems to understand.

"Oh, you mean you expected me to be gone longer? Well, apparently, they had new means of healing broken bones. Prototype, but it seems functional. Heck, I think you got it yourself, right?" he says. That's true, I did heal way faster than normal. But I didn't know what they did.

"Damn, technology sure is fast today," I mutter. Hisao nods in agreement, and I leave him alone to give him time to fix his stuff. Before I close my door, however, he asks a question out of the blue.

"How do you feel about Yamaku's female population, or rather, females in general?"

"I'm dating one," I respond, completely nonchalantly. Hisao sighs in relief, and gives me a thumbs up before returning to his room. I stare at his door, thinking about his question. Why the heck would he be concerned about my attitude towards girls? Then again, I remember the nurse telling us about that Setou fellow yelling 'FEMINISTS' while being escorted out the school. I shake my head at the weird turn of events and turn in for the night.

* * *

I wake up to find myself on my floor. Somehow I rolled off the bed last night and didn't even wake up. I need to take note of that sometime. I take a look at the clock on my bedside table and find out that it's still five in the morning. Too early for breakfast, and too late for sleeping again. I sigh and peer out the door to find Hisao wearing a soccer uniform from what appears to be his old school.

"Isn't it a bit too early to play soccer?" I ask.

"Nah, can't play soccer, I'm… a bit too unfit for that," he says, stretching a bit. "I'm out for a run, doctor's, well… nurse's order."

"Early morning jog, huh?" I ponder at this for a moment before coming up with a genius thought. "Care if I join in?"

"The nurse didn't really say anything, so yeah, sure, why not," he says.

Damn, why did I even think of this? I can't run. But a few minutes later, I find myself in my P.E. uniform, heading out to the track behind the school building. Hisao looks lively indeed for someone who just got into an accident.

"You don't have any problems with your heart, do you?" he asks.

"No, mine's the eyes. They're going blind. Why'd you ask?"

"Good, at least Emi's going to have to watch over just one person, if she's still my partner," he says. Wait, who's Emi? What does he mean by partner? What did I just sign up for?

We arrive at the track to hear a regular clacking sound. I squint through my glasses and see the fastest person on no legs herself. So she's Emi, huh?

"OHMYGOD, Hisao?" she yells, bounding full speed at us. Suddenly, my life flashes in front of me. Oddly, this didn't happen when I was about to get hit by that car.

"Hey, Emi," says Hisao, sidestepping her before she crashes into him. She manages to slow down a few meters behind us, at least.

"You're back!" says Emi, jumping onto Hisao for a hug. Well, not really jumping, she's taking care not to hit him too hard. Maybe something about the heart, indeed.

I take a breather of the damp morning air when I hear another set of footsteps coming our way. A very pale girl with silver hair comes into view. She looks almost… elvish, so to speak, with her silver hair and red eyes.

"Oh, Emi? Who's this?" she asks.

"It's my original partner, Hisao," says Emi.

"Ah, so you're that Hisao I've heard Emi talk about," says the snow white girl. "I'm Rika. Rika Katayama, from class 2-2. I think we've both got nearly the same problem. Heart?"

"Yeah," says Hisao, sounding a bit nervous. He looks unwilling to disclose his disability. Maybe he just didn't have enough time to really fit in.

I leave the three of them to go on a few laps of my own. I find myself invigorated by this simple act, and by the time I reached half of my lap, I realize I'm too weak for this. I just hate running. Or jogging. Or moving any faster than walking. Sure, you can make me walk for a mile or so, but jog? Run? No way, Jose.

"Hey, guys, I don't think I'll make it," I say as they pass me for another lap of theirs. For people with weak hearts, they have an insanely strong will. I wave off and head to the bleachers for a breather.

"Well, getting beaten in jogging by people with cardiac problems. Very impressive," says a voice I clearly know and love.

"Oh, hello my dear," I say. Apparently, Yuki's been sitting on the bleachers, watching me the whole time. She hides a small giggle as I collapse next to her, dead tired.

"Sorry I've been busy all the time," she says.

"It's okay, you wouldn't have been able to work had I been there," I say, laughing. I sit back on the bleachers while Yuki takes out a small thermos bottle from her bag. Coffee, at this time of day? She truly knows her man. I gladly take a cup while she prepares hers.

"How'd you know I was here?" I ask.

"The power of LOVE," she says, shrugging. I guess she asked around the dorm, then.

We walk back to the dorms and she waits outside for me while I shower and change into my school uniform. She takes her position on my arm again and we walk to the classroom, being the first two to arrive.

"Well, this is a nice Friday," I comment, preparing my usual school gear on my desk.

"No one's this early, you know. Just you, and me, because I wanted to surprise you today," she says, smiling.

That smile should be illegal for 'Increased chance of causing a cardiac arrest'.

"Well, you did surprise me, so I guess you're successful at that."

She just smiles more and we both continue idle chat until the students fill in the classroom. The day proceeds as usual until the last period in the afternoon, Takasu's Math class.

"All right everyone, I'll leave you these exercises for now. Ryuuji, can I have a word with you, outside?" he says.

I gulp and look at Yuki. She merely shrugs and tells me to go and follow Takasu. I wonder if we've been caught doing this and that. I walk out the classroom, following Takasu.

"I hear you've been real friendly with Yuki lately," he says.

Oh crap.

"Don't worry, I don't have anything about your… nightly exercises. Just don't get caught. But on a serious note… do you have any problems with her?" he says, turning serious.

"No, not really sir," I say. It's true, I don't have any problems with Yuki.

"Well, at least you've accepted everything about her. You did, right?" he asks.

"I don't think you'd last with her if you don't," I say.

"Just… call me or the nurse when trouble brews. Because, you know, ataxia is a harsh disease to have," he says, giving me his number on a piece of paper. He pats my back, gives me a smile, and we both go back to class.

Yuki smiles when she sees me, and I smile back. We both continue to work on Takasu's problems until the school bell rings at the end of class. Arriving at the clubroom, it's still as bleak as ever with only Hanako working on our fall issue of the school paper.

"How's it going, Hanako?" I ask, placing my bag at my desk.

"I-it's going fine," she says, hiding behind the monitor. She's still very shy, despite having worked with us for some time now.

I fire up my PC to work out my pictures while Yuki goes through yet another pile of articles. Despite only having three writers, the Newspaper Club still manages to crank out enough quarterly to be a chore to sort through. Thankfully, my duties are all around the photography and editing department, seeing as I'm the club's personal photographer and the only person who knows how to work out photos. As well as the owner of the PC used to edit said photos.

It being a Friday, everyone's a bit more relaxed than usual and all is peaceful in the clubroom. Well, at least it was until Natsume and Naomi arrived. Or more like broke through the doorway.

"Let's go to the Shanghai," declares Natsume, adjusting her glasses and sweeping her multicolored glare through the room.

"Fine by me," I respond. "But what about the articles?" I ask, gesturing over to Yuki.

"What about them?" asks Naomi. Sometimes, I feel like she and Natsume are just one being, the way they complete each other's thoughts. "We've got half a month to finish them, anyway. And you guys need a break!" she continues.

"U-um, if it's fine by you, Lilly and I have something to do today," asks Hanako timidly, barely audible over the ruckus that is Naomi. Natsume's her silent counterpart.

"It's fine, it's fine. Though you'll skip out on the tea," says Naomi, grinning.

And with that, our day's work in the club is finished and the Newspaper Club, sans Hanako, treks down the hill to the Shangai, where we spend our time thawing out using the tea as warmth.

"Geez, it's cold," comments Naomi.

"You don't say," says Natsume, giving Naomi a poke on the head.

Yuki and I follow the bickering couple to a booth, where the two of us sit across from the Natsume and Naomi. A waitress appears soon, and takes our order. It seems Yuuko doesn't work here during weekdays, probably because she's busy being Yamaku's librarian.

"So," begins Natsume, "I heard you two have been getting… close to each other?"

"Well, yeah," replies Yuki. "I guess?"

"You guess?" I say, raising an eyebrow. Yuki shrugs and just smiles.

"Aw, don't be so tight, it's okay for us," says Naomi. "You have our blessings."

"Uh… thanks?" Yuki and I reply, not really knowing what to do. Come to think of it, this is the first time these two talked to us about our relationship despite it being a few months ago since we've hooked up.

"Just be careful, Ryuuji," says Natsume. "Yeah, you do anything to hurt Yuki and you'll have to deal with us," continues Naomi.

"I'll be careful, okay? I'll take care of her, I promise!" I say, crossing my heart. Yuki stifles a giggle at my gesture.

"Oh yes, he's been a good husband for some time now," she says.

I nearly choke on my tea at this comment. Yuki merely flashes me her divine virgin smile.

"Really now," says Naomi. "I presume you're using protection?" finishes Natsume, sipping her tea in a very matter of fact way.

"Why does everyone say that?" I ask, annoyed. "We haven't done anything yet!"

"How boring," says Naomi. "Yeah, I bet WE'VE done more than you," says Natsume, a bit out of character for her.

Yuki looks at me with a look that says 'Keep quiet about what happened during September!'. I decide to do just that and sip my tea. Our little club tea time passes by without any other major questions and I sigh in relief as we both reach out dorms.

Natsume and Naomi head on inside, while Yuki and I stay outside for our usual farewells.

"Don't you tell them what happened during that zoo trip, mkay?" she says, tapping my lips.

"Hey, the chocolate ice cream was your idea," I say, giving her a good night kiss.

We both head on up to our own dorms where I find Hisao coming back from an evening run. I decide to go share with him my precious contraband, though I must be careful of heart attacks.

"Hey man, lemme show you something," I say, reaching into my bookshelf.

This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

**Post A/N:**

**Let's just believe that in the KS universe (which is probably set in 2007, or 2012, but more 2007 since that's the year the project started), they've managed to find a way to mend bones quickly, though it's still experimental and not widespread. Yeah.  
**

**That's because I found out AFTER writing this that broken bones take as much as three YEARS to heal. Or maybe because my friend broke his neck instead of some other part. I don't know. But yeah, this is fiction, after all. AUTHOR TROPE CARD: SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF!  
**

**This is the last time, I promise. I wanted to bring back Hisao, anyway.  
**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)  
**


	11. Act III, Part II: Crisp Leaves

**Part 2: Crisp Leaves**

Despite the cold winds brought by the coming of fall, Yuki and I decide to go on a walk in the park this fine Sunday morning, watching the leaves fall around us. The barren surroundings and golden leaves covering the path gives off a cold atmosphere, but the girl clinging to my arm chases all those away. I give myself a small smile at this thought. Yuki, ever the observant one, takes notice of this immediately.

"You thinking of something?" she asks.

"Nope," I reply, looking away.

"Hmph, nothing, huh?" she says, pouting. Damn. When did she find out my weakness?

"I was just thinking… you've stopped minding doing these types of things now. I remember you being so shy when we started going out," I say, laughing.

"Well, we've been together for almost what, three months now? Maybe even more? Of course I'd stop minding," she says, smiling back at me.

We find our usual spot vacant, and decide to stop for a bit. We take our time just loafing around and watching the other families, their parents running after their children running after the other family's children.

"Say Ryuuji," asks Yuki.

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to have children?"

Hey now that question's just suddenly out of the blue. There's no way I can answer that immediately.

"Well… I don't really know. Half of me says yes, while the other half says no," I concur. "What about you?"

"Me? No… I don't think I do," she says, looking at me sadly.

"No? Why?"

"Ryuuji, I have a hereditary disease. I'm already a positive case, so there's a slim chance my children won't have it, or at least be carriers. And all it takes is for you to be a carrier, whether you know it or not, and then," she says, scooting closer to me, "they'd have a huge possibility of being positive. I don't want them to suffer like me."

I… don't really know what to say to this. All of me wants to comfort her, but I don't know what to do. She's right, though. And the bitter fact that our children, if we ever have any, are going to have these traits… drag me down along with her.

"Hey, don't look so sad," she says. "I might change my mind in the future, you know."

"I am?" I feign. I glance at my watch and find out it's still just a little after three in the afternoon. I stand up and stretch my back, feeling my joints creak. I really should get this checked with an ortho.

"Hey, let's go back?" she says.

"Yeah, let's," I say, taking her hand. We walk back to the school, my mind filled with what we've just talked about.

* * *

_GOD DAMN IT!_ I think as I run down the halls of Yamaku. This wasn't supposed to happen. But deep down inside, I knew it was inevitable. I dash down the hallway, ignoring the numerous 'no running in the halls' rule of Yamaku. Out of breath and nearly out of time, I find myself in front of the Nurse's office. Not bothering to knock anymore, and knowing full well he's going to expect me, I open the door and find myself face to face with a pensive nurse.

"Nurse, is she… what happened?" I ask him.

"Relax Ryuuji, catch your breath," he says calmly. I guess with working in Yamaku, he's been accustomed to these types of things. "Yuki's fine, she just had a minor attack, nothing life threatening. Though we will be keeping her in observation for some time, so no dates for a while."

"Can… can I go see her?" I ask.

"Well… about that," suddenly the nurse looked a bit more serious for comfort. "She's specifically requested that no one is to see her right now. Even you, Ryuuji, no exceptions."

"Oh," is all I could reply to him. It does hurt, since it feels like she's rejecting me. But she must have her reasons.

"Don't feel so down, she'll be back before you know it," says the nurse, giving me his trademark warm smile. "And I'll make sure no one else touches her, I promise!"

Ah, what would Yamaku be without the nurse? Even in the most stressful situations, he still manages to cheer us up, even if just a bit. I don't know if it's just professionalism or it's his real attitude, but either way, I'm thankful for him managing to coax even a small smile from me at this dark hour. I thank him and make my way back to my dormitories, alone for the first time in a long time.

* * *

I arrive at the dormitories to find a dark haired girl, wearing the uniform of an entirely different school, standing nervously outside. Clutched in her hand is a near crumpled stationery envelope, something with a sunset design. Or was it sunflowers?

"Uh… hello there. Can I help you with something?" I ask, adjusting my glasses for a better view. No matter what I do, it seems that her eyes are always in shadow, or maybe it's just my eyes.

"Um… I'm… looking for a person named Hisao Nakai. I hear he's back here, after… that incident last June," she says, fidgeting nervously.

"Oh, Hisao? Lucky you, he's my hallmate. I'll take you to him," I say.

"Thanks. Um… I'm Iwanako, by the way."

"Iwanako? Is that your first name or last name?" I ask.

"Um… nevermind."

I decide to shut up and just guide her through the warzone that is the boy's dorm. There's no one around, which is good, since rumors might suddenly turn up about me. And this mysterious girl who keeps running a hand nervously through her hair, with a tuft still sticking out no matter what. I arrive in front of Hisao's door and decide to knock, however, Iwanako stops me.

"Uh… are you sure it's okay for him? I mean, he might… you know," she says, fidgeting again.

She's quite nervous about this, but hey, I can't comfort her, because I barely know her. But I guess in all her nervousness, she might have some past with Hisao. Some past that's… better off left in the past. God that's redundant. I shake my head at the way thoughts run around.

"Relax, it's going to be fine. What's the worst that could happen? He goes 'HNNG!' again and passes out or something?"

Come to think of it, that's not such a good idea, seeing as Yuki's also in the clinic and I don't trust Hisao that much around women. This might turn out to be a very bitter netorare if that happens.

"Um… yeah… precisely that," says Iwanako. She begins moving away, but I knock on Hisao's door anyway.

"You'll never know until you try, you know," I say.

Hisao opens the door to find me in front, grinning stupidly as Iwanako hides behind me. What is it with women and hiding behind me, anyway? I'm thin as a stick, for crying out loud.

"Hey man, someone's here to see you, you lucky dog, Hisao you," I say.

"Wha –?" he asks, yawning. Damn, I guess I woke him up.

"Someone's here. To see you. She's a she," I say, stepping back and bringing Iwanako up front.

"Oh hey, hi there. Who's–" says Hisao, but then suddenly he quiets up. "Iwana–" THUD.

Oh crap, not again. Iwanako looks quite affected by this, and she's shaking a lot. Oh god, I need to defuse this situation, and fast. I gently move her aside and check Hisao's heartbeat. So far so good, with its regular irregularity. I breathe a sigh of relief as I drag Hisao back to his bed.

"Sorry about that… um… he's okay now," I say.

Iwanako still looks shocked. I offer her a chair, which she takes. She sits beside Hisao's bed, like a vigil for a dying man. No, that's a bad analogy. Either way, they look cute like this.

I feel a bit bitter inside, knowing that Yuki just basically shunned the outside world because of what happened. I decide to leave the two alone and go to my room. Giving Iwanako a short farewell, I disappear inside my room. Hisao's heart is going to pull through, that I'm sure of it, but will mine? I ponder about this as my long days of being without Yuki starts.

* * *

It's been a week now, and still no Yuki. I've taken up most of her duties, including writing articles for the school paper. It's a good thing my writing skills have improved over the years, or else everyone would have crap writing in their papers. In an effort to escape my steadily increasing duties, I decide that the library is the most logical place to be in.

Yes, the oh so quiet library. I step inside quietly, so as to not… BANG! Damn, still shook up Yuuko. She's probably got super hearing or something.

"Hey, Yuuko," I say.

"Oh, Ryuuji, it's you," she says, smiling awkwardly. "Sorry, I just dropped my pen and this book fell and–"

"Nah, it's okay, it's okay, you don't have to explain."

She bows nervously, forgetting this isn't the Shanghai, and I continue on through the fiction section of the library. The smell of musty books invades my nose, and I inhale it deeply. I always loved this part of the library, it's larger than my old school's, and it smells better to boot. I find myself a nice science fiction about tripods, because I own one, and I sit down on the vacant bean bags near the rear of the library.

"Uhh… um…" I hear someone near me as I peer out of the fiction that is clearly not about tripods. Something about Martian robots instead.

"Oh, er… hello, Hanako," I say, standing up. She gladly takes the bean bag I left. I guess that's her spot then.

"T-thanks, Ryuuji," she says, hiding behind the cover of her book.

"I-I heard about Yuki. I'm sorry," she says.

"Sorry? But why?" I ask.

"I think I can related to her, not wanting to see others. J-just… it would be better if you left her alone for now, I think," she says. Somewhat out of character for someone I know being quiet, shy and reserved.

"How can I help her if I just leave her alone?" I ask.

"Maybe she doesn't want help," replies Hanako. "Or she doesn't need help. She can stand on her own."

Maybe she is right. Maybe I should let Yuki deal with her own problems for the time being. Maybe she's not letting anyone see her because she's afraid, afraid that I might be… tired of her, with her frequent attacks. But she still needs comfort, right?

"If she needs it, she'll come find you," says Hanako. Okay, maybe this school is full of mind readers. She blushes, realizing she's talked too much, and hides herself behind her book again. That was one out of character moment for her, after all, but I guess even the most introverted people will step out of their shell to give a steadily falling friend a hand.

"Uh… thanks, Hanako," I say.

"I-it's okay…" she says, going back to her book, and her old self. I guess this conversation's over.

I decide to borrow this tripod book anyway, and go see Yuuko at the checkout counter. She scans the barcode repeatedly, ending up with me having three books borrowed at once.

"Uh… I'm sorry! I'll get this fixed right away," she says.

"Nah, no matter, I just needed the book, anyway. I'll return it soon, so you can clear them out before I'm overdue."

"Oh, okay," she says. "And Ryuuji?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry if I was eavesdropping on your conversation with Hanako… but… please take into mind what she said, okay?" says Yuuko, smiling. "Yuki can be a bit handful at times, but I hope you'll stay by her. I've never seen her this happy before."

"Okay, Yuuko, thanks," I say, taking my leave.

* * *

Back at the dorms, Hisao still looks a bit ragged after meeting that Iwanako girl again. He gives me a halfhearted 'Hey,' and slumps back to his room. I wonder what happened between those two? Maybe some nightly exercise, though I don't remember seeing Iwanako sneak out the morning afterwards. I decide to leave it to imagination and turn in for the night.

But then somebody knocks on my door. Of course they knock when I'm about to sleep. I grope around for my glasses, and open the door to find Hisao standing outside.

"Hey, man, what's up?" I ask.

"Uh… yeah. You remember Iwanako?" he says.

"Of course, I showed her to you, then you collapsed. Very manly, man."

"Oh shut up. If you knew what happened between us, you would've done the same."

"Really? What happened between the two of you, anyway?" I ask.

Hisao looks a bit nervous, but then decides to tell me anyway. "Well, it was around January, this year, and she… asked me to go to the forest beside school. It was cold, and snowing everywhere. I didn't know it was her, really, since it was just a note, but then, there she was. That bit was already a surprise for me. But then she had to ask me out… and I had my first attack that day."

"Damn, that's… that's unfortunate, man," I say.

"You don't say, Sherlock. Now word tells me that you're having problems with your Yuki?" he says.

"Spot on, she's refused to see anyone, even me. I hadn't seen her in a week!"

"Maybe you should let it run for a while. Let her sort out her things. Even Iwanako thought about it. She gave me this," he shows me that letter, "saying that she was going to mail it. It's her telling me that it would be better if we didn't see each other anymore."

"But why'd she give it personally?"

"Because she changed her mind. And maybe your Yuki will too, soon, when she comes back. She'll come back for you, man, if she does love you. And I think she does, from what I heard about what happened last September," he adds. Damn. It spread that much?

"Okay, man. Thanks," I say. Hisao gives me a wave and leaves for his own hideout.

So it simply boils down to one thing, the lot of them. Let it run its course. So I decide to do that, and hope for the best. But even my optimism is failing.

Please, Yuki, come back soon.

* * *

**Post A/N:**

**So I wanted to bring Iwanako back too. I might make a tie in that explains the sudden appearance of Iwanako in this storyline after I finish uploading the remaining chapters.  
**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)  
**


	12. Act III, Part III: The Return of Snow

**Part 3: The Return of Snow**

It was early December when I stepped out of my dormitory to find that the whole place was blanketed with snow. A thin, white sheet of snow, just everywhere. And with the coming of snow was someone familiar… someone I've longed for.

"Yuki?" I call out, squinting against the bright sunlight reflected by the snow. Damn my eyes for not adjusting as fast. Thankfully, my glasses do, and pretty soon, I could make out Yuki's features. She smiles at me, though it feels like something is missing from her.

"Ryuuji… hey. Sorry it's been so long," she says, walking towards me.

"Doesn't matter," I say, pulling her into a hug. "As long as you're here."

"Yeah," she says, hugging me back. Her warmth is comforting, after the cold long weeks I've been waiting for her.

"How do you feel?" I ask her.

"Not as good as usual," she says, smiling sadly. "We need to talk, Ryuuji."

This is bad. I nod to tell her I understand, and we find a bench to sit on. She sits beside me, but makes no attempt to get closer.

"Ryuuji, remember what I told you before? That I'm a walking time bomb, just waiting to go off?"

"Yes. And I remember that I also told you it doesn't matter, Yuki."

"But it does, Ryuuji. Especially now that they've… gone and gave me a limit."

Damn.

"Yuki?" I ask, feeling myself tearing up. But I hold it back, for her sake.

"Thirty five. That's how long they gave me. Until I'm thirty five. Ryuuji, I've lived more than half my life span already," she says, crying.

"Yuki… it's..."

"IT'S NOT OKAY!" she yells at me, breaking down. "You're always so optimistic, Ryuuji. Why don't you see reality at times? I'm dying, Ryuuji. Nothing can change that. Don't tell me it's okay, just like that. I… I can't be with you anymore. I'm sorry. I just can't bear leaving you behind when I die."

And with that, she stands up, and unfolds her cane. I remain seated, controlling the emotions welling up in me. She gives me one last look before moving away, as if to tell me 'Follow me, if you dare'. She begins walking away, slowly, and all I do is watch her back grow smaller and smaller. I stand up, I reach out for her.

"Yu…ki…"

But it's too late. She's gone, and I've got only myself to blame. Dejected, I trudge back to my dorm, feeling the cold snow falling around me, and on me. Yuki. The one I love. Gone.

* * *

I left him sitting there. I looked back at him, as if to say 'I'm sorry'. But I just couldn't take it anymore. His optimism… his attitude that 'everything's alright' when it definitely wasn't. The thought of leaving him alone when I die. I… I can't do it.

This stupid disease already took a lot from me. All those people I turned away, just because I kept messing up the place whenever I had an attack. While they show their good sides to me, I know they talk behind my back. Every single one of them, backbiting bastards. But… maybe there was one person that didn't. And I left him. I left him so that I won't hurt him more.

The dormitory is a bit warmer than the outside, but still felt as unwelcoming as ever. I sigh as I reach my room, which looked just like when I left it. The bed looks so promising, and I fall on it as soon as I kicked off my shoes.

Three soft taps come from the door. I open it to find a dirty blond haired girl standing outside. My hallmate, Saki Enomoto.

"Oh hey, Saki."

"Hello Yuki. I heard you were back," she says.

Like me, Saki has spinocerebellar ataxia. Unlike me, it seems she's found a way to overcome its depressing effects, and found a better, brighter outlook in life. I envy her.

"What do you want?" I ask her, sounding a bit remorseful.

"Judging from your tone of voice, I guess you've got some problems you just had or are currently having. From the fact that you're not here with your boyfriend right now, I am guessing you had a fight."

"You're really smart, you know? Or just good at detective work."

"So what happened?" she asks me.

"I… broke up with him. At least I think I did. I told him that I couldn't be with him anymore. Because I was afraid I'd leave him alone and bitter when I die."

"Why'd you do that?"

"Because I'm dying, Saki."

"Well, we all are, Yuki. It's just how you perceive things that make a difference. Also: what you did was stupid."

"What?" I ask her, feeling enraged.

"It was stupid, really. So you broke up with him because you didn't want to leave him."

Saki had a point. But what could I do? What's done is done.

"Yuki, have I ever told you what I believe in?" she asks me.

"No, I don't think you did."

"Every day's a gift. Every hour's golden. Every minute's a diamond. Life is wonderful if you're willing to live it. Think about that for a while. And once you're done, go comfort your battered boyfriend, will you?" she says, giving me a half smile.

Saki's always been like this. Blunt and straight to the point. I think I'm one of the few people who can tolerate the way she speaks. Probably because what she says usually has wisdom in them. Usually. This is something I have to think about, if not overnight, then perhaps a week. A month.

I curl up in my bed, tired, and for the first time in a long time, lonely. God, I was so stupid.

* * *

I wake up to the morning sun, peeking through my curtains. God damn it, I need to get these things fixed. These will ruin my eyes more, and I can't see with the damn glare on my eyes! I angrily pull them closed, but end up pulling off the curtains. Oh hail the curtain karma gods. I close my eyes as they burn, and squint a bit to let them adjust little by little.

I look at my digital clock and see that it's the twenty third of December, 2007. Two days until Christmas, a Sunday, and a national holiday to boot. Tomorrow's also the start of winter break, so I decide to play it slow today. I sigh and decide to go see the nurse, and complain about my eyesight. Maybe that'll give me something else to think about. Something not Maybe that'll give me something else to think about. Something not Yuki related.

"What have you been doing to your eyes, young man?" asks the nurse, scowling.

"Retinitis?" I say.

"Yeah, well, RP can do that to you. Your eyes are worse off, Ryuuji. You're blinded by the sun now?"

"If I don't let my eyes adjust, yes."

"This is bad. You might actually go blind by the time you're twenty."

Oh great, now I have a time limit? What the hell.

"That's… that's great. Just great," I say, laughing sadly.

"Hey now, where's your spirit, Ryuuji? You're just going to let your blindness bring you down?" says the nurse. He doesn't understand. He doesn't have a disability.

"Nurse, I'm going blind, right? There's nothing more to that than the cold, hard fact that I'm going blind."

"But you can still do a lot even if you're blind you know. Just er… look at the 3-2 students," says the nurse.

"Yeah, maybe."

I thank the nurse and put my glasses back on. The tint on it still hasn't worn off from the sunlight, and the room appears darker than usual. It's okay, the outside's too bright anyway. I walk out into the sun and think about what to do this fine Sunday morning.

Hisao's a bit… preoccupied at the moment, with Iwanako coming over every couple of weeks or so. That damn master of romance. I shrug at the thought of whatever those two would be doing in his room and decide to go for a walk around the white blanketed school grounds and recollect all my thoughts.

So I've just been broken up with by my girlfriend a few weeks ago. And she broke up with me a few minutes right after we met again after a long time. Yuki's been cold to me ever since, despite being seatmates and clubmates. Even Natsume and Naomi stopped pushing jokes on us after they saw our atmosphere and Hanako just stared at us behind her monitor.

Everyone's treating it like a big deal, including Takasu. For the first time, I saw him disappointed and almost like he was mad. I don't know if teacher are even supposed to be that way towards student relationships, though I guess it was just him being concerned over me and Yuki's wellbeing.

I sit down on a bench as the cold overtakes me, and I shiver. I could handle heat, yes, but put me in a cold place and I'll freeze into an ice block. Damn it. The cold's making me think of her again. I don't want to think. I just want to forget. Forget everything that's happened thus far. Forget why I've suddenly seen the real world. Not what I've always been thinking. A world where opportunity is around every corner.

Everything's just going wrong with me. I'm going blind, in two years, nonetheless. How am I supposed to finish university that way? My girlfriend's broken up with me. I'm left with nothing now. Then the idea struck me. Why not? It's not like it's going to hurt anyone. Even if it's just a bit. It's for my Christmas dinner, after all.

I walk down the hill to the convenience store, where I browse around for what I'm looking for. I find it, and sooner or later, I find myself in my dorm room again, my contraband safely tucked under my desk, falling asleep after a long day of walking and thinking.

* * *

It's Sunday, the twenty third of December, and it's been around two weeks since I've said anything to Ryuuji. Since that fateful day when I made what would probably be the greatest mistake of my life. I stretch as far as I could, making sure all my muscles are working as they should be. It's something I came up with, as a habit.

I dress up for the cold outdoors and head for the main building, thinking about spending some time in the school's library, where almost no students go to, especially during the holidays like this. I enter the warm book filled room to be greeted by none other than Yuuko herself.

"Oh, hey Yuki," she says, smiling.

"Yuuko? I thought you worked in the Shanghai on weekends?"

"They needed someone here in the library, since the weekend librarian called in sick today."

"I see. And you couldn't just close the library for one day?"

"Oh heavens no," she says, looking like I just uttered a taboo. "There are students who like it here, Yuki. Some of them run away from the real world through books."

"Books, huh? I guess I do the same with my writing," I conclude.

"You write?" asks Yuuko. Uhoh, I forgot she didn't know about it.

"Uh… yeah, but it's just fan fiction about this visual novel I play."

"Oh yeah… I heard Ryuuji mention it before."

That name. My world suddenly freezes. Yuuko sees this and hastily changes the topic.

"W-well, we've got books on how to write, if you'd like to borrow some!"

"Nah, it's… it's fine, Yuuko. I find exploring how to write on my own a very satisfying experience," I say, and give her a small smile. I take my battered notebook and my pen and find myself a silent spot to write on.

A fan fiction. Well, it's more of a parallel story than fan fiction really. With the main heroine's disability being a very short memory, forgetting everything that happens over the course of a day, and the guy having multiple personality disorder. Their relationship before was pretty much baseless, but now that I reread my work… I realize I based them off of my relationship with Ryuuji.

And with that came Saki's words of wisdom. Every day's a gift. Every hour's golden. Every minute's a diamond. Life is wonderful if you're willing to live it. Now that I've thought about it for weeks, I seem to have gotten an understanding of Ryuuji's view. Why he was always so optimistic. I shouldn't have thought about the end right away. The end can wait. It's what we do that counts.

I pack up my things and decide to prepare myself for what's coming. I thank Yuuko as I leave the library, and I head straight for my dorm room. On the way, I pass Saki, who I thank profusely for giving such insights.

"It's fine, just don't make the same mistakes again," was her only reply, and gave me a small smile and a wave as I dashed as best I could to my room. Which was not much, since I've got a limp and a cane to help me walk.

Hidden deep beneath my dresser is a small wooden box. A token of the love we've shared with each other that fateful night in September. I smile as I open it, revealing the delicate clockwork and its name. 'Lilium'. I slide the latch and the tune fills my room. The slow, mournful tune of someone who left. But near the end is the hope that someone will come back. And hopefully, he will still forgive me.

Change is the only thing constant in the world. Everyone is going to die someday, because of this change. But maybe, just maybe, I can make the time I have left worthwhile. Just as long as I can reach him again.

Everything changes this coming Christmas Ryuuji. I hope you'll still be waiting for me.

* * *

**Post A/N:**

**In case anyone's wondering why it's gone from June to December here...  
**

**I've searched and searched around the interwebs to know when Japanese High Schools usually graduate, and most of what I found out is March(?). Sorry if I'm wrong, again.  
**

**Also: this is probably the most serious this story's going to get. It is listed under Humour/Romance, after all. Act 4's going to be much much lighter (and shorter, thankfully).**

**Happy reading everyone!  
**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)  
**

**P.S.  
**

**The chapter/part title is a pun. I hope it is. I don't know. Yuki is Snow in Japanese, anyway, just in case you found the titling weird.  
**


	13. Act III, Part IV: Restart

**Part 4: Restart**

I wake up to the blinding light, yet again, this Christmas day or whatever they call it in the west. We don't really celebrate it, but still, people buy food for this event. I yawn widely as I rub the sleep from my eyes, knowing full well what I'm going to do today.

"Hey man, er… merry Christmas, I guess?" says Hisao, peeking out of his dorm room.

"I don't think we actually celebrate that," I reply.

"Yeah, but we still have food, and stuff."

"Any plans today?" I ask him.

Hisao thinks for a while but shakes his head. "Nah, no plans, I think I'll spend it up reading that contraband you gave me."

Oh right. Contraband. My mind wanders to that thing wrapped in a brown paper bag hiding under my table.

"How about we go for a picnic on the rooftop?" I ask.

"Er… no man. Remember how you found me? That was a 'picnic' too."

"With whiskey. Okay then, I guess I'll just go there alone."

"You're planning something, Ryuu. I know it. Don't even think about it man. I know Yuki's left you, and you're going blind, but isn't that a bit too much?" he says.

"I'm not planning anything, aside from a picnic on the roof. "

Hisao gives me a look that says he doesn't believe me at all. I don't care about it much. In fact, I'm not actually planning on doing anything rash. I just decided to take a picnic on the roof, with a bucket of chicken and some whiskey to push it down. Okay, so there's alcohol, but there's always a first for everything, right? What could possibly go wrong? Well, I guess I could fall off the roof, but the school administration assured us a week after Hisao's accident that they fixed and reinforced the roof's fence. So I'm not as afraid of that as passing out drunk on the roof.

"Just… take care, man," says Hisao, closing his door.

I walk into town to find myself a bucket of chicken. Apparently, that's something people eat a lot during Christmas here. I don't know much, seeing as my family never really celebrated it back in the city. I wrap my arms around me as the cold wind bites through. God I hate the cold. Give me endless summer anytime.

I arrive at the closest fast food chain, and find it packed with people. I decide to slug it out and wait in line. After an hour, I finally get the bucket of chicken I've been waiting for, only to remember I'll be eating alone. Oh well, if Hisao doesn't want any of my chicken, then more for me.

Also that alcohol… I'm starting to have second thoughts about it. I've pretty much cheered up a bit from that deep rut I've dug myself last Sunday, so I'm thinking a bit clearly now. But I bought it, might as well use it then. I shrug at my indecisiveness and ignore the hundred alarms my inner selves are blaring at me and walk back towards school.

It's cold, despite being in the middle of the day. God damn it, this is going to be a long walk.

* * *

I wake up today, feeling a bit excited than usual. I guess it's because I decided to do something today, and also because of my newfound views. Maybe life isn't so bad after all. After a quick shower, I make my way down the dorm hall to find Saki peering out of her dorm room.

"I knew you were awake," she says.

"What gave me away?"

"The fact that you've probably woken up half the dorm as well?"

Saki laughs at my apparent noisiness in waking up. I guess I do make a lot of noise.

"Any plans for today?" she asks.

"I… don't really know."

"Huh, right, yeah well, I guess I'll head into the city or something, catch a movie, shop. See you around then!"

Saki closes her door, leaving me to think about what to do this Christmas day. We don't even celebrate it much, save for food and sometimes, gifts. But during my last two years here in Yamaku, all I did during Christmas was lock up in my dorm room and play my games all day. But today might be a little different. I check my watch and see that it's still ten in the morning. I've got time to spare so I decide to go down to the town to warm myself up with some tea.

"Hello and welcome to the Shangai!" says someone very familiar.

"Yuuko? But isn't today a weekday? Aren't you supposed to be in the library?" I ask her.

"Well… I did skip out work in the Shanghai last Sunday to cover for the weekend librarian. So I decided to work today here while she covers me," says Yuuko, with a worried expression on her face.

Huh. She seems to have a knack of appearing whenever I make an important decision in my life. If this was a novel or a fiction written by someone, it's almost like the author's using her as a plot device to push characters into making important decisions to drive the plot onwards. I shake my head at the absurdity of the thought and wait for Yuuko to bring me my tea and sandwiches.

"So you still haven't made up?" she asks me as she serves the food.

"No… not yet," I say. "But maybe today…"

"Today?" asks Yuuko, suddenly looking flustered. "O-oh, I'm sorry Yuki."

"Nah, it's alright. Not a lot of people today, anyway, right? And I needed someone to talk to," I tell her, smiling.

"Ah, okay. So what were your plans?"

"Well, I might as well apologize to Ryuuji for driving him away like that. And what better way that today?"

"Hm… you're right, Yuki. It's Christmas, right? I think westerners celebrate it with gift giving and thanksgiving, too."

"They do?" I ask her.

"Er… never mind, it's just part of my studies," says Yuuko.

"I… see."

Yuuko leaves with a short bow as another customer appears. The Shaghai is quite quiet today, as families and other students are probably celebrating their own little Christmas at home or with loved ones. I drink my tea and eat my sandwiches in relative silence as people come and go around me. After a while, finished, I give Yuuko thanks and a small tip and leave for school again. I have to prepare for this afternoon, after all.

* * *

I arrive at school at around four in the afternoon, and decide to go to my dorm first to pick up my… contraband. Meh, I guess I'll just give it a couple of sips, then dump it down the drain. It'll help me warm a bit up too, sitting out in that rooftop all alone. Without anyone.

"You really planning on having a picnic on the roof?" asks Hisao.

"I got nothing else to do, so why not?"

"Your funeral man," he says, with a shrug.

"What about you? Didn't change your mind one bit? They fixed the fences anyway, it's brand new and 'unbreakable'."

"I… er… I've got company," he says, grimacing.

Cue a girl's voice calling him back in the room. Cue Hisao responding awkwardly.

"Oh Hisao, you master of romance," I say, patting his back.

"Hey! I-it's not like we're dating, or anything. Iwanako just decided to come visit."

"For the tenth time this month. Here man, use it wisely," I say, handing him a foil packet from my wallet. I decided to carry them around after September.

"Wha– man, it's okay!" he takes it nonetheless. "Besides," he whispers to me, "apparently she's on the pill."

I shake my head and chuckle a bit as I walk off, giving Hisao a wave. I make my way down to the school building and check my clock. Around five in the afternoon. The weather's a bit too chilly for comfort, but I decide to push through.

* * *

I wake up with a start, realizing I fell asleep without meaning to.

"Oh no," I mutter to myself.

I hope I'm not too late. I glance at the wall clock. It's five in the afternoon. I dress up the best I could and rush the fastest I could down to Ryuuji's dorm. Saki pokes her head out her room.

"Hey, you're making a ruckus again. You sure you don't have plans?"

"I do have plans," I reply.

"I knew it. Break a leg, then!"

She gives me a small wave before disappearing again. I still wonder how she does that. Maybe she has a wormhole in her room or something. Shaking my head to clear it with absurd thoughts, I rush down Ryuuji's hall, and knock on his door.

"He's er… not here," says someone behind me. I jump with surprise and turn around to find someone familiar.

"Hisao Nakai?" I ask him.

"Yeah, Ryuuji's hallmate? Anyway, he decided to go air it out on the rooftop. If you hurry you might catch him."

"Uh… thanks, then. And merry Christmas!" I tell him as I make my way to the school building.

God damn it, Ryuuji, what are you thinking? You better not be thinking what I'm thinking you're about to do.

* * *

The first few mouthfuls were awful.

That's all I could say about whiskey. But a few more mouthfuls and it begins to heat me up. Combine that with the bucket I bought and I might have found a new friend. Might. I still don't like the taste.

"God damn it, why does this keep happening to me!"

Whoa, what the hell did I just say? I really need to stop taking a swig. Maybe just another one. Then the feelings hit me again.

"I'm all alone, on a rooftop, what else am I supposed to do?" I ask no one in particular.

Maybe I should just do it, man. There's nothing for me here. Just my inevitable blindness, and spending the rest of my days alone. I stand up and look towards the horizon, past the rooftop's fences. The wind nearly bowls me over, with my flawed balance brought by alcohol.

I walk towards the fences slowly, deciding I might as well do it. Finally, I'm almost at the edge. If I fall down now, I can end it all. My suffering. My useless life.

* * *

Why do stairs have to be so tiring to climb?

I reach the rooftop's door to find the 'No Trespassing' sign ripped off. Damn that Ryuuji. I open it to find him staring towards the distance. What the hell is he doing?

"Ryuuji?" I call out to him.

* * *

"Ryuuji?" I hear a voice call out to me.

I turn around and see her, death herself.

"Oh, no… you…"

"It's me, Yuki!"

"I know you, death! You've come to take me!" I take a step backwards. Death won't take me alive, I won't let her.

"Ryuuji? Are you drunk?" says the woman.

"Why do you care if I'm drunk? You're death, aren't you?"

"I already told you, I'm Yuki!" she insists.

I shake my head, disbelieving. "I'm sorry, but you won't fool me!"

I lean back, and feel myself falling. A moment later, I hit the ground with a thud and darkness takes over me.

* * *

I wake up on cold concrete. It's dark. Pitch black even. Where am I?

"Is this the afterlife?" I ask, a bit slurred from the drinking I've done.

Wait, drinking? The afterlife? Then I fell to my death, right?

"You didn't fall, you idiot," says someone next to me.

"Yuki?"

"No, I'm death," she says, laughing. Despite the seriousness of the situation, I find myself laughing as well.

"What happened? I thought I killed myself?"

"You were five meters away from the fences, Ryuuji. Your glasses were off. You couldn't see anything. You leaning back and hitting your head on the concrete knocked you out. You've been out for fifteen minutes."

"Is that a good thing?"

"You idiot," she says, helping me sit up. "Why'd you do it?"

"I… don't know, really. You made me see the reality of the world, Yuki. Not everything's positive, you were right."

"But it's not necessarily negative, either, Ryuuji. We decide what happens in our lives. It's our choice whether to be happy or sad."

"So… what now?" I ask her. I feel her push my glasses back on my face.

"How about we restart?" she says. I can see her clearly now, with my eyes adjusted to the darkness. Yuki smiles at me, and I smile back.

"Yeah, let's," I stand up and help her up as well.

"But first we've got to take care of this."

I tilt my head towards the empty whiskey bottle and the half eaten bucket of chicken.

"You take care of the bottle, and then we'll take care of the chicken," says Yuki.

"Sounds good to me," I reply.

Well, I guess it wasn't such a cold Christmas after all. Because Yuki's back, and I might as well restart my life. Back to the way it was.

* * *

**Post A/N:**

**I get the feeling Ryuuji's whiskey was spiked with LSD. He was clearly hallucinating there. And with this ends the third act of KS:RS. I hope you guys found til now. I'm uploading the fourth act daily after this, with the end in time for Single's Appreciation Day (that's February 14, +8GMT).**

**Oh and ignore the strange reference to chicken buckets. I searched around about how the Japanese celebrate Christmas and found the same thing on all sources: they love their chicken during Christmas.**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)**


	14. Act IV, Part I: The Beginning of the End

**Act 4: Resolution**

**Part 1: The Beginning of the End**

It's the thirty first of December, and Yuki and I are cuddled together in the warmth of my room. Luckily, I've got television, so we could watch whatever's on the channels during the New Year's celebration. Or maybe I could just pop one of my disks in the player or something.

"Hey, you got any other plans aside from holing up in your room?" asks Yuki.

"I don't know. Does the school even have events during New Year's?"

"Let's go to the park then."

I glance at my clock and see that it's still ten in the morning. Ten in the morning? How early did we wake up?

"Okay, should I pack anything? Like say, thermos?" I say, holding up my thermos bottle. I figured I might as well buy one the last time I've been to the city, seeing as it's cold and I need something warm to tote around.

"You bought a thermos bottle?" she asks me.

"Long story. Tea, or coffee?"

"Let's go with coffee this time, we've been drinking too much tea, Ryuu-chi."

I flinch at the nickname. No one's ever called me that since…

"Have you been talking to my sister?"

"You have a sister?" she says, surprised.

Oh, right. I never told her about my family. She never asked. I never asked about hers in return too.

"Yeah, I have a sister. She works in the telemarketing industry."

We both pack up my thermos and some sandwiches, for good measure. And a blanket too, in case we decide to go sit on the snow or something. Yuki clings to me, just like the old times, and off we go down the steep school hill towards the town.

"About your sister… she works in the telemarketing industry? So she's what, tech support I call when my computer breaks down?"

I chuckle at her innocence.

"Not everyone in telemarketing works that way, Yuki. That's just in inbound calls. She works with the marketing. They look for people to contract with."

Yuki nods in understanding. We continue down the snow covered down, our prints left on the thin layer on the streets. Few people are out and about today, with most families and students preferring the warmth indoors. Yuki clings closer as the temperature drops even lower.

"If it gets any colder, you might have to break me open with an ice pick. Or warm me up with your curling iron," I tell Yuki. She chuckles at my joke.

"Don't be silly, I'll keep you warm. Besides, I don't use a curling iron," she says. It's true, though. I've never seen her with her hair curled. It's always the same sleek, straight black hair that I've grown to love. I was always a sucker for long hair, anyway.

We walk through the park gates to find other families set up in the park as well, just like the beginning of fall. Kids run around uncontrolled while parents sit on their blankets or benches and laugh as they watch their children play with others. And in the middle of all that is a tall thin guy with thick, tinted glasses and a petite girl with sleek, long hair and a pronounced limp.

We both trudge through the snow, dodging the occasional snowball or two. Once or twice, I could swear I saw Yuki bat a snowball away with that cane she keeps folded in her bag. Me, on the other hand, keeps getting pelted with them, thankfully, not on my face, lest my glasses get ruined.

"I still don't know why people love throwing snowballs," I tell her.

"Because it's fun, Ryuuji!" she says, stooping down and scooping up some snow. She forms it into a ball and throws it right at me.

"Ow! Hey!" I scoop up snow as well and toss it at her. We toss around snow like children, with me keeping the sandwiches and my thermos safe from her harm. Suddenly, a short woman with shoulder length hair approaches us.

"Well, well, well… looks like someone's having fun this New Year's eve," she says, grinning.

Oh no.

"A-aneki?" I say.

"Aneki?" asks Yuki, dropping her snowball. "You're part of the mob?!"

"N-no, that's what I call her, my sister, I mean," I say.

"Yes, Ryuu-chi, your sister. I decided to go take a visit to my dear brother and I find him playing around the snow with… his 'friend'?" says my sister, glaring at me with a glare that could kill thousands.

"U-uh… yeah, she's… Yuki… my… girlfriend," I cough out that last word.

My sister stares at me for a bit longer, but then breaks into a wide grin.

"FINALLY! Do you know how long I've been waiting for this? You've been a shut in your entire life, Ryuu-chi," she shakes Yuki's hand excitedly.

"U-uh… hello, I-I'm Yuki Hiromu, Ryu-Ryuuji's…" says Yuki.

"I know, I know, he just told, me remember? I'm Haru, Ryuuji's sister."

"Y-yes, my sister, Yuki. Now that we've met one another… coffee?" I say, holding up my thermos, trying to defuse the situation.

My family's a weird bunch. Suddenly, I realize that Yuki will meet my parents, eventually, and I shudder to think how that meeting would be. Come to think of it, I'll be meeting Yuki's parents too, sometime.

We all settle down and I set up our own little picnic on the snowy grass. Yuki packed more sandwiches than we could ever eat, so luckily there were some left over for my sister. The coffee was enough too.

"So how have you been, Ryuu-chi," asks my sister.

I still flinch whenever I hear that nickname. Even more so if it's in public.

"I'm fine, the school's quite good, actually. And aneki, stop calling me that!"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know my little Ryuu-chi is all grown up now," she replies, ruffling my hair.

Yuki sips her coffee silently as she watches the both of us play around, and I notice a small smile on her face. She looks quite lonely, and I decide to ask about it later. For now, I think it would be better if she and my sister bonded a bit more.

"So, I hear you're going out with Ryuu-chi?"

My sister turns her attention to our silent audience. Yuki suddenly hides behind her cup and turns scarlet.

"Y-yeah, we are. It was, um… sometime after the school festival," she says, half whispering.

"School festival?"

"I just arrived here in time for it," I interject.

"You work fast, Ryuu," says my sister. She turns her attention to Yuki again.

"So… how far have you guys gone?"

I feel myself blush as well. While we have gone a bit far already, especially that September day, this subject matter is still touchy. Especially with September.

"We… uh…" Yuki looks at me, as if asking for me to bail her own. I give her a silent sorry. Once my sister is hooked on a topic, she'll never let it go.

"Hmm?" she says, suddenly looking interested. "Could it be my brother's turned into a man now?"

"Er… that is…" Yuki looks on the verge of tears now.

"Don't worry, don't worry," says my sister, patting Yuki on the back. "I understand you people and your hormones. Just keep safe okay? And Ryuuji?" she adds, turning to me.

"Don't you dare two time her."

My sister glares at me again. I could swear I hear the gates of hell itself close at her glare. I nod nervously.

"Y-you know me aneki, I don't do things like that!"

"Of course you don't. Because if you do, you'll remember why they call me aneki," she says, laughing ominously.

Her aura suddenly turns that of malice, and Yuki shuffles close to me, hiding behind my back.

"A-aneki! You're scaring Yuki!"

"Oh, sorry about that! I just wanted to make sure my kid brother will treat you well," says my sister, laughing.

Yuki laughs as well, and I'm happy to see the two of them connecting together so well. I was a bit afraid Yuki might not really accept my sister for who she was, or vice versa. But I guess things have a way of working out in the end. Looks like Yuki's going to fit in with my family just fine.

"So, I guess that's that!" says my sister, helping us clean up. "Ryuuji, nice seeing you again! Yuki, nice meeting you! You guys have my blessing. I'll let the folks know you might be taking someone home sometime soon, Ryuuji! You do good with your studies, hear? And please, get into that university course you've been looking forward to!"

And with that, our New Year's eve picnic was done. My sister parts ways with us on the main road, her going to the small inn she's staying in and us heading back to school. Yuki cuddles a bit closer this time, a faint smile on her lips.

"Something on your mind?" I ask her.

"Your family's great, Ryuuji," she says, smiling.

"Are they? I thought people found us weird," I say, chuckling. "Besides, you've only met me and my sister. My parents are worse."

"Of course they are, who could someone like you if they were sane?" she replies, smiling.

"How about you?"

"Me?"

"What about your family, Yuki?"

"My… family?" she says, stopping dead in her tracks. She gazes straight into my eyes, and I feel a warmth in my chest.

"Y-yeah… in fact, never mind…"

"No, it's okay," she says, smiling sweetly. "I'm an only child. My mother, she… hadn't had time to give me a sibling before…"

"Oh. I-I'm sorry, Yuki."

"It's a long time ago, Ryuuji. Besides, we knew it would happen. My ataxia has a bigger chance of appearing when both parents are positive. So, you know. At least my aunt took me in."

Yuki looks at me solemnly, and I take her in my arms. She hugs back, and for what felt like an eternity, we just stay there, in each other's arms, in our own little world. When we let go, Yuki looks up to me and smiles.

"Let's go?" she aks.

I nod, and we walk back up the steep slope to the school.

* * *

"Good morning sleepyhead," says Yuki, shaking me awake. How the heck did she get in my room?

"You gave me a duplicate, remember?"

Oh, right, that duplicate key. I shake the sleep away from me and stare blankly in front of me. Or rather, I'm staring at nothing, seeing as my visions dark as hell and blurred too.

"Whattimeisit?" I mumble.

"Five in the morning," says my oh so cheery alarm clock.

"Why'd you wake me up so early?"

"Because it's New Year! New Year! Let's go visit the shrine now!"

I promptly collapse back in the bed.

"Ryuuji! Get up!"

Yuki drags me up, and I have no other choice but to wash up and dress up. A few minutes later, I'm asleep on her shoulder in the bus on the way to the shrine. She doesn't mind, really, but I do wonder where she gets her energy.

"We're here, Ryuuji. Wake up," she says, gently shaking me awake.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I slept late last night," I say, helping her out the bus.

"It's fine. I know you hate waking up early. I do too. But if we went later, it'd be too full of people," she says, smiling. I can't help it but smile back. She's just too endearing at times like these.

"Nah, it's okay. It's better this way, anyway," I say, looking around. Some people are scattered about, here and there, others praying, many more getting their fortunes.

Yuki and I decide to follow suite, and after lighting incense, we each take our fortunes.

"What did you get?" I ask her.

"Apparently, I've got good luck! You?"

"Good luck as well. Hm, maybe this year will be better than most."

"Of course it will," she says, smiling.

"Why?" I ask, though I get the feeling I know the answer already.

"Because you're with me," she says, tiptoeing and giving me a peck on the lips.

Good luck, huh? Well, I've certainly had good luck thus far.

* * *

**Post A/N:  
**

**In case it's not clear to everyone, aneki is also a different way of saying 'big sister'. Though it's usually used in gangs and such , and symbolizes the fact that Ryuuji is scared of his sister's... other personality. Its male counterpart is aniki.**

**THE MORE YOU KNOW!**

**Or at least that's just from my stock knowledge. It may be inaccurate due to having gotten the knowledge from anime and manga mostly. **

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)**

**P.S.:**

**Act 4's a bit (read: a lot) shorter than the past chapters, so if you found the rest of the story too long, it's time to celebrate!**


	15. Act IV, Part II: Halfway

**Part 2: Halfway**

"…and so, the way to get the derivation…"

Takasu continues on with his lecture while I slowly doze off in my seat. The finals are coming up, and with it are the exams for the various universities in the country. I decided to try my hand in an engineering degree, just because I like to see how things work. Yuki, on the other hand, might be going along with an arts course, probably in communications.

Yuki idly doodles on her notebook as yet another problem is written on the board. Everyone else is in a stupor and next to no one except the most diligent students are listening to Takasu's lecture. I feel my head droop and hit the table, and the world goes dark.

"Ryuuji…"

Someone's calling me.

"Ryuuji!"

Let me sleep.

"Ryuuji! You get up this instant!"

Whoa there, don't blow up now! I sit up, to find Yuki and me alone in the room.

"What happened? Is this closed space?"

"Closed– what are you talking about? Class was dismissed a minute ago, and everyone's gone. We need to go to the club, and finish the year end release."

"Oh, right. Okay Yuki, lead the way," I say, yawning.

The Newspaper Club has been a bit busy this school year, because it's one of the few times that they've had enough members to publish the paper at least three times a year. With the summer and winter release done, all that's left was the year end release. Looks like it's going to be nonstop photo editing for me again. Oh joy.

"Stop grumbling, Ryuuji. You joined the club yourself, didn't you?" says Yuki, grinning.

"I didn't. You guys blackmailed me."

"No we didn't. We made you pay your debt for doing those… indecent things to me," she says, feigning innocence. "Then you decided to join once you paid them off."

"You turned out to like those indecent things, Yuki."

She sticks her tongue at me as we walk in the club room, and the three people there stare at me with three pairs of eyes. Or rather, two pairs and one mismatched pair.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't managing editor and our feature writer," says Naomi.

"You guys are late," says Natsume, glaring at me. Wait, why me?

"Because you're the one who usually does things to our Yuki, Ryuuji," says Naomi, grinning.

"U-uh… guys… I finished my layout," says a meek voice from behind the monitor.

"Oh, good," says Naomi. "Ryuuji, work with the photos, and Yuki, proofread articles, please."

"We need to get this done by the middle of February, so that we can release it come graduation," adds Natsume.

Oh, right. Graduation. Since we're all third years, I guess we'll also have to hold interviews for our successors, too. The chiefs will take care of that. Natsume and Naomi work editing their articles while I fire up my PC and start editing my photos again. Lots of snow in the photos this time, and some New Year's events. It's a wonder my camera didn't freeze. I should thank the makers someday.

* * *

"All right guys, that's enough for now," announces Naomi.

"Good work everyone," says Natsume. "At this rate, we'll be done by the end of January, after all."

"I-if you don't mind, I'll head off now," says Hanako, giving us a short wave and a smile. She's come a long way from the shy girl she used to be, and even opened up to us at times. Though that might have been the New Year sake that Natsume suddenly brought in the clubroom.

"You two lovebirds go on your way now," say Naomi.

"We'll… clean up today," says Natsume.

Yuki and I nod in understanding and hightail it out of the place before we see anything we'd rather not see. Even Natsume and Naomi changed. They've become a lot more… open towards the topic of their relationship. I shake my head to clear my thoughts as me and Yuki walk towards the dorm.

"A lot has changed since I arrived here, huh?" I ask Yuki.

"Yeah. Even you've changed a bit too," she says.

"I did, huh. Hopefully it was for the better."

Yuki just smiles and we walk into the dorm. Wait, walked into the dorm, together?

"Y-Yuki?"

"Just follow me," she says, and leads me up into her dorm room.

"Why are we here?" I ask her.

"I… needed someone to help me with something," she says. "And you're the only person who can help me with that."

Oh dear. Did I trip an event flag, again?

"O-okay…"

"Lock the door, Ryuuji, please?"

I do as she tells me and she pulls the curtains closed. The room suddenly looks a bit smaller with just the two of us in it, locked and isolated from the outside world.

"Ryuuji…" she says, looking at me.

"Yes?"

"I don't know how to finish my work! You're the only one who can give me ideas!"

Wait. What. Aww, damn.

"O-oh. Okay, I-I'll help. But why lock the doors and pull the curtains closed?"

"I don't want anyone to disturb us while we do it."

That's… that's just wrong wording, Yuki.

"Besides, if you help me finish it," she says, leaning closer. "You'll get a treat."

Oh hey. If that's the case…

"Okay, I'll help," I say. "Just keep the underside of the bed clear. I might have to hide again."

"Just like last time."

"Yup."

* * *

I wake up feeling quite refreshed after that Saturday evening work. And workout. Yuki's not here, so I reckon she's gone down to the canteen to get breakfast, or something. I grope around for my glasses and find them right next to my pants. God the room is a mess.

Yuki comes back after a few minutes, carrying two plates of the cafeteria's 'instant curry', as I've taken to call them.

"Good morning, Ryuuji!"

"Morning. No one's asked you why you're carrying two plates?"

"Saki did. She understands, though," she says, sticking her tongue out. "Between you and me, she's a lot worse than us before."

Yuki and I eat in silence, while I think of something to do this fine Sunday. Well, we could always go to the park like usual. Or maybe tea in the Shanghai? I don't really know what to do right now, so I ask her instead.

"I don't know either. I guess I'm fine as long as I'm with you, Ryuuji," she replies.

"The city, then?" I ask her.

"Sure, we haven't been there for a while now."

* * *

I step off the bus to a brightly lit city under the mid-morning sun. I help Yuki down and we walk through the weird walkways they've constructed throughout the city. It's almost like we're in a science fiction.

"Where do you want to go?" I ask her.

"I don't know. Shopping?" she says, laughing as I make a face. I still remember the last time she took me 'shopping' and promptly lead me through three different lingerie sections in three different malls, to the amusement of the other shoppers.

"Shopping? You're really going to shop, right? Not just try on lingerie and keep calling me to 'check if it fits well'?"

"Just joking. Let's head for food first, it's nearly lunch, anyway," she says, taking my hand and guiding me through the streets. It looks like she knows a place where we can eat. I can only pray that it fits my wallet perfectly.

"Yuki, where are we going?"

"This small restaurant I like somewhere down the road," she says, smiling.

I can't say no to that smile, I just can't. We arrive at the restaurant to find it near empty. Just like the Shanghai. Where is everybody, anyway?

"You really like silent places, do you?"

"Hm… it's because I usually write when I eat here. I like the peace and quiet, it helps me think," she says. We take a seat at one of the tables and I pick one of the menus. Hm… this seems affordable enough. My wallet gives a great sigh of relief.

"So what'll you order?" I ask her.

She picks something… something. I don't even know what it is. I decide to order it too, just because I don't understand half the menu. It may be affordable here, but it doesn't make it any less fancy in the way they name their food.

"Hey, Ryuuji!" says Yuki.

"What?" I ask her.

"Nothing," she says, sticking out her tongue and resting her head on my shoulder. I put an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to me.

"Yuki? Why don't we go for movies after this?" I ask her.

"But you hated cinemas, right?" she replies.

"I don't really hate them. I just can't walk around in them without someone to guide me."

She smiles, understanding my plight. "Sure, why not, Ryuuji. I'd love to go on a movie date with you."

"It's our first after, what, 5 months?" I say, chuckling.

"Yeah."

* * *

An hour later, we walk hand in hand again down the main street to the mall, where we find the cinema on the top floor.

"Why do they put these things on the top floor anyway?" I ask, catching my breath. As luck has it, the mall's escalators are out of order.

"Space issues, Ryuuji," replies Yuki, smiling. We go to the ticket booth where I pay for two for some cheesy romantic movie that not a lot of people watch. Just because.

"Hey, it might be fun!" I tell Yuki.

Opening the doors to the cinema itself, a sudden darkness consumes me. I feel my grasp on Yuki's shoulder tighten. I'm not afraid of the dark, that I'm sure of. What I'm afraid is what's in the dark. Even here, I might accidentally bump into someone or spill someone's drink or something.

"Ryuuji, relax," says Yuki, clinging to my arm. Her presence is comforting, something I've grown to like over the months. I feel myself get closer to her as we take one of the corner seats on the top row.

"Feel any better?" she asks.

The film rolls and the reflected light shines on her face. She looks beautiful whenever she's under the light, something I noticed since Tanabata.

"Yeah, I do."

"Hm… good. Come closer, Ryuuji," she says, scooting over. This cinema seems to be one of those with the collapsible, or rather, foldable, armrests, something they may have done to cater couples like us.

I scoot closer to her, and we sit in silence as the trailers roll past and the main feature starts. I feel her rest her head against my shoulder again. I put an arm around her to pull her closer and rest my other hand on her lap.

"Ryuuji?" she says, looking up at me.

She kisses me on my neck, sending shivers running down my spine. She moves up, and soon, I feel her moist lips on mine. Breathing heavily, and shrouded in the darkness, we share a deep and passionate kiss.

As for the movie, well, we forgot all about it, and the two hours passed like minutes. Soon enough, I'm riding a bus back to school, a sleeping Yuki resting peacefully next to me. I smile and brush her hair away from her face. She looks cute when she sleeps. I think most everyone does.

"Yuki, wake up, we're here," I tell her, shaking her gently. Groggily, she lifts her head off my shoulder and I help her up. She whispers a thanks and we both walk back to school where we part ways, once again, in front of the dormitories.

"Hey, good luck with your exams," she says.

"You too, Yuki. See you after graduation?" I ask her.

She merely smiles and kisses me good night. I let her go, reluctantly, and we both stride up our own dormitories, both of us aiming for a better future for each other.

It's just a week more before the end of lessons, and the start of exams.

* * *

**Post A/N:  
**

**Sadly, MA+ is not allowed on . And I can't write erotic literature. Believe me, I've tried, and failed miserably.**

**KS:RS is just two chapters/parts away from the end, so thanks for those who've been reading this from the start! It's my first fan fiction, so reaching a thousand views is an achievement for me (though the sheer number of chapters might help).**

**Happy reading everyone!**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)**


	16. Act IV, Part III: Paper Pushing

**Part 3: Paper Pushing**

"Ah, Ryuuji," I hear the nurse say. He asked me to come for a visit and I did, though I think I know what this is about.

"Hello," I reply.

"I heard about what happened, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. My vision's… just worse off."

It seems my retinitis has progressed over the months unchecked, and now, I'm having trouble focusing on objects in my field of view, even with my glasses on. On top of that, the day blindness set in, with bright light blinding me worse than ever.

"You still go around with Yuki, right?" he asks.

"Yeah, she's helping me through," I reply.

The nurse seems to be pleased about this, as far as I can tell.

"Good. It's good you made friends with her Ryuuji. It's like you two are really made for each other. However, with the rate your vision is deteriorating, I'm afraid you'd be blind by… the start of your university years."

"That long, huh?" I say, smiling. I've come to realize that too, and it is no surprise to me now. Besides, I won't have to work through this alone. I've got Yuki with me now.

"Yes. Around two months or so. Until then, Ryuuji, you better brush up on your braille and how to feel around. Though I think you've had lots of practice with the latter," he says, grinning. Even through my blurred vision, the nurse's grin is something you can never miss.

"I'll be sure to do that, thanks, nurse," I say, smiling back.

The nurse shows me out and I walk out the medical building where I find Yuki sitting on a bench, watching the small leaves of early blooming trees.

"Hey, Yuki," I call out.

"Ryuuji," she says, walking over to me. I run my palm on her face, training myself on memorizing people by touch.

"I might be blind by the end of April, Yuki," I tell her.

"Hm… then that means I should stay with you more," she says, caressing my cheek.

"That would help. How'd you do during your entrance exams?" I ask her.

"I think I did well enough for your university," she says, smiling.

"You're going to the same university?"

"Of course. Who's going to keep an eye on you?"

"Nice pun," I say, laughing.

Yuki takes a while before realizing what she just said and joins in. I'm happy we turned out this way, despite all we've been through. I can truly say that we're not just lovers, or people in a relationship. We're what matters the most too, friends.

"We've still got our finals to study, though," she says, pouting. Or at least I think she does. I peer through my glasses to get a better look.

"Yeah. Should we do it together?" I ask.

"We won't end up studying together, Ryuuji. Remember last time?"

"Oh… yeah. Well, we better start now, then. We've only got a week left."

"Well, I guess I'll see you… by the end of the week?" she says, smiling.

"Yeah. Good luck to you!"

"And you too, Ryuuji."

* * *

The week passes by as if it's travelling through molasses. I vaguely remember a thing that happened, and most of what I remember is equations. Endless rows of equations. Sure, we've got other subjects too, like English, but Takasu is a Math teacher and our homeroom teacher to boot, so our homeroom time ends up being an extension of his math time. Combine that with Mutou's out of this world lesson on Physics and you're going to get a hell week.

Yuki seems to be handling the class part of the exams pretty well. She's got the notes down pat while I keep dozing off beside her, only to be woken by a sharp kick under the table. For someone having problems walking, she's got a very strong kick.

"Stop that," I tell her.

"Stop what?" she says, feigning innocence while jutting down notes.

"Stop kicking me under the desk, my leg's starting to bruise."

"But how will you study if you keep dozing off?" she says sternly. With that look in her eyes, I know better than to argue with her. Also because it's true. My grades haven't been the best this year.

"Okay, okay. But no kicking."

"I promise," she says, smiling.

I resort to taking out my barely used notebook and trying to jut down what few notes I can. But all is useless as I end up sleeping again after five minutes.

"Ryuuji!" she says, slapping me with a notebook.

"OW! Hey, no slapping either!" I say, my cheek red.

"You're hopeless," she says, pouting.

"Hopeless? Oh, right."

I look down on my near empty notebook and a feeling of dread suddenly overcomes me. She's right. If I don't fix myself right now, I'll end up flunking this subject. And with my course choice for university, this subject isn't something I should be taking lightly.

"Hm… I guess that leaves me no choice," she says.

"What?" I ask, almost scared of what she's going to say. What'll happen to me? Am I going to die?

"Ryuuji," she looks at me sternly.

"Y-yes?"

"I'm going to have to tutor you, seriously, this time around. No playing around, Ryuuji."

"I… I understand."

"Good," she says, smiling. "Let's head up to the library and see if I can borrow some books to help you with."

"What about you?" I ask her.

"Me?"

"Your own studying?"

"It's okay, Ryuuji, I'll end up reviewing while teaching you, anyway."

"Killing two birds with one stone, huh?"

We find the library packed with students, which is quite unusual, since it's mostly quiet most of the time. I guess I'm not the only one worried about the future. Yuki and I roam around the shelves, her pulling out books that she thinks might help the both of us. In the end, I end up carrying five heavy books, enough for all subjects we have to take.

"Yuki, do we even need this many?" I ask her.

"Yes. I think," she says, thinking.

"Hm… well, whatever works, I suppose."

I follow her into her dorm where we set up shop in her room, with her small table serving its purpose well. After a few minutes, the table is littered with notes and scratch papers, with Yuki throwing problem after problem at me with no pauses. I feel like my left hand's going to bleed from the amount of writing I'm doing.

"W-wait, Yuki! Pit stop, pit stop!" I plead her.

She takes a glance at my problem set and nods.

"It seems you've got the hang of that part, Ryuuji. So yeah, a short break. Then it's your turn to teach me English," she says, laughing.

"When did I agree to this?" I ask her.

"It's a group study, remember? It's no group study if I'm the only one who'll teach," she says, pouting. Damn, she's been using that pouting a lot lately. Good thing I'm going to be immune to it a few months later. How sad.

"Okay, fine. But math… we still have to study it, because neither of us is good with that subject."

She laughs and tosses me a book on Calculus. I look inside and find out it's been written way back 1964. Wow, the school really uses updated books.

"You're better at it than me, sensei!" she says, smiling.

"Fine, but you'll still handle my Physics," I say.

"Oh I'll handle it alright," she says, grinning.

Huh. Looks like I used the wrong words again. I sigh and dig into the English textbook Yuki gave me, searching for words and phrases that may come up during the exams. After a few more minutes of throwing words and phrases at each other, at times mixed with math and physics, we both end up dead tired. I take a glance at the clock and see that it's already one in the morning, and I'm trapped in the girl's dorm. Again.

"Ryuuji…" she says, yawning.

"Don't worry, I'll sleep on the floor."

"It's Sunday tomorrow, anyway, so sleep late if you want. I'll bring up breakfast later."

"Thanks," I reply, smiling. Yuki smiles back and clambers onto her bed. I try make myself comfortable near her table, which isn't so comfortable seeing as I'm tall for your average Japanese teenager.

"You know…" she says, "you can always sleep next to me. I won't mind."

"Hm? But what if we get caught?"

"No one patrols the dormitories during the finals week, Ryuuji. It seems a lot of others had permission for a… group study as well."

"Really now? Fine then," I say, climbing onto her bed. It's a bit cramped, but I'm thin enough that it fits the both of us. My feet are still hanging off the edge, though.

"You're bed so short Yuki."

"You're just too tall, Ryuuji. Good night," she says.

"Good night."

* * *

Monday. I feel myself shaking as I walk out my dormitory and on to the school building. I've done nothing but study with Yuki over the weekend, and it feels like my brain is going to explode with all the knowledge I've crammed. Hisao seems to be taking it a bit lightly, though I guess he's not having much trouble, seeing as he's Mutou's star pupil and all, with news of his accomplishments reaching even our classroom. Like being the only member of the Science Club he and Mutou set up.

The room has an ominous atmosphere coming from everyone, and we file in alphabetically, as is usual with the Yamaku examinations. Yuki gives me a thumbs up from her seat near the middle, while I settle in the back. I smile in return, and take the questionnaires distributed.

Hm… it seems simple enough. Yeah, we've definitely gone through this before. Yup, this is indeed one of the topics we reviewed over the weekend. Invigorated by my knowledge, I answer the questions quickly and easily, using the tricks we've learned over the weekend.

I wonder how Yuki's doing with hers?

* * *

I stretch my back as the last exam finishes. Physics really is a fun subject, but also one of the hardest. I glance at Yuki and see her smile. As I pack my things up, she walks over to me.

"How was it?" she asks.

"It was… fine, actually. Thanks for the review," I tell her, smiling.

"Thank you too. I thought I was going to die during the english exam, but I remembered most of what you said."

"Well, now that's done, where do you want to go?"

"How about a celebratory tea? In the Shanghai?"

I take a glance at my wristwatch. It's still quite early, around four in the afternoon, so I guess we can have some tea before curfew.

"Sounds good to me," I say, shouldering my bag. "Let's go?"

"Yeah, let's go," she says, taking my arm.

We make the long journey down the hill again, something I've grown accustomed to over the year I've been here in Yamaku. Come to think of it, it's been a long journey for me indeed, from that train ride here to now, walking down the hill with my girlfriend. I never really expected any of this to happen to me. I guess I do still have some luck left in me.

"Welcome to the Shanghai," greets the waitress of the day. She seats us in a booth a good distance away from others, which is fine for me and Yuki.

"I forgot that Yuuko doesn't work here in the weekdays," says Yuki.

"It's fine, we're just ordering the usual anyway," I reply.

"Yeah. It's good she doesn't work weekday shifts in the Shanghai too, she might collapse from all the work she's doing," she says, laughing.

"The library already takes a lot from her. I'm surprised she still works here during the weekends."

The waitress arrives back with our usual tea and sandwiches, and Yuki and I dig in, with a toast for the exams. Hopefully, we'll both be able to pass for the university we applied for. As I thought, Yuki chose a course in the communications arts department, while I settled for my choice in engineering. Though come to think of it, I might have to change my course choice later on, if I can't do my job because of my blindness. I don't think it matters much, either way, as long as I have a job. Besides, I don't think chemicals need to be drafted.

"Here's to our future," says Yuki, raising her cup of tea. It looks silly, but I do it anyway.

"Cheers," I say, touching my cup to hers.

We both drink up our tea, the taste lingering in my mouth for the next few minutes. That waitress clearly brews tea differently from Yuuko.

* * *

**Post A/N:  
**

**Last part tomorrow, so stay tuned! Thanks for reading!**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)**


	17. Act IV, Part IV: Finale

**Part 4: Finale**

We had around two weeks off after exams, for our clearance and our graduation practice. The practices don't take all day, though, and the clearance signing is pretty much a one day task. We end up getting loads of free time in return, with me and Yuki spending it around the campus, just hanging around.

A week after our exams, the results came in through the daily mail, with mine held in my own trembling hands. I'm almost too afraid to open it. I hear a knock on the door and open it to find Yuki standing outside.

"What did yours say?" I ask her.

"What does yours say?" she asks me.

"I don't know yet. I haven't opened it yet."

"Oh don't be so scared, Ryuuji. Open it!" she eggs me.

Swallowing my fear, I open my letter. A long speech apparently written by the head of the university follows, and written below it is my result.

**ACCEPTED.**

Oh, yes. Lady luck is definitely on my side today.

"I got in," I tell Yuki, still disbelieving.

"Aw, good for you," she says.

"Wait, what? What about you?"

My feeling of happiness is suddenly turned to dread. Yuki hands me her letter, which contains the same long speech from the head of the university. And written underneath, just like mine, was her result.

**ACCEPTED.**

I kick the door closed and trap her in a tight hug.

"H-hey! Ryuuji! That hurts! Be more gentle!"

"Yuki, the others might think something else is happening if you scream like that," I tell her. "You really are my lucky charm, you know?"

"Hmph, you're always the smooth talker, Ryuuji."

"Meh. Just a cheesy romantic," I dance her around my room, which isn't much, but my feelings of happiness just can't be put down right now. No matter what happens, we're in it together.

"We did it Yuki!" I tell her.

"Yeah, we did," she says, tears forming in her eyes. "Now all that's left is to finish our course and then… we'll both have all the time we have for each other, with a bright future."

"Hey, no crying!" I tell her. "I don't like it when you cry."

"These are tears of joy, Ryuuji," she says.

"Either way it makes you too cute for my own safety, so no crying," I say, wiping off her tears.

"So what do we do now?" she asks me.

"I don't really know, Yuki. Maybe we could get our picture taken?" I say, laughing.

"Wait for graduation for that, Ryuuji!"

"I guess let's just see how the others are doing. Let's head to the clubroom?"

"Let's go then," she says, taking my arm.

We walk down the dormitory and into the school building, where a mixture of emotions are all around us. Some of our other schoolmates are like us, elated at passing, while other still are being comforted by their closest friends because they failed. Though maybe because we're Yamaku students and entitled for a scholarship for tertiary education, I heard no one really fails the exams. They can still enroll in their wanted courses.

We arrive at the club room to find it a mess. Leftover magazines from our final issue are strewn across the floor, and a huge table is set up in the middle of the room. Around the table is Natsume, Naomi, Hanako, and some other lower years who I assume are the new Newspaper Club members.

"Hello everyone!" I greet.

"Oh, hey! New members, these two are the mascot couple of the club, Yuki and Ryuuji-senpai to you guys," says Naomi, grinning.

"Hey, what do you mean by mascot?" retorts Yuki.

Naomi simply sticks her tongue out while Natsume and Hanako go around with setting up the food.

"Wait, where'd we get the budget for this?" I ask them.

"Cheap printing, Ryuuji. Also, because you joined, our budget for photo editing was practically nil, so we decided to save it for a nice year end party," replies Natsume.

"Wait, I had incentives?"

"You're getting it now," says Naomi.

Damn, nothing beats cold hard cash– oh hey, is that PIZZA?

"Fine by me," I tell them. Hanako oddly fits in the crowd now. Looks like a school year in the club helped her with her fear of others. She's even entertaining some of the lower year applicants to the club.

"Say, Natsume," I ask her. "How'd we get so many members?"

"Because we publish the school paper now," she replies.

"What? You didn't publish it before?"

"No, we lacked members to be an effective club. We were more like a skeleton club, back when it was just the three of us."

"It's a good thing me and Hanako joined up, huh?"

Yuki seems distracted by the pair of girls who joined up with the club. I think their names were Aoi and Keiko? I can't really remember. I settle down myself in front of the pizza, intent on getting the first bite.

"Ryuuji, leave some for the new members," says Yuki sternly, hitting me on the head with her cane.

"Ow, hey! Stop that, you're going to dislodge something," I say, and turn around to find the pizza gone. No.

"Hey, senpai, does she always do that to you?" asks one of the girls. Aoi? I don't know.

"I got bruises, yeah. She's strong for someone who apparently has ataxia," I say glaring at Yuki. She just pouts innocently. Damn, she really knows how to win her battles.

"Am I, Ryuuji? Or do you just have to put on some weight?"

"Ouch, that hurt, Yuki," I say, laughing.

The new members look at us with amusement, probably because they've never seen us 'quarrel' before. Natsume, Naomi, and Hanako on the other hand started raiding the drinks. Wait, that smells like…

"Hey, Natsume, you spiked the punch?"

"Naomi did it," she says, a bit slurred too. Just one cup? She's really weak at holding her alcohol.

"Relax, relax. It's not too strong. Natsume's real weak at holding her liquor," says Naomi.

The new members seem to not mind, though, and I guess Natsume and Naomi gave them the non-alcoholic punch. They're not that insane. Hanako looks… a bit weirder too. She's staring off in the distance and… giggling?

"Yuki, had any of the punch yet?"

"Nah, I don't drink, Ryuuji."

"You don't? Well, I don't either. Except for that one time," I say, turning red.

"I know, I know, I'm Lady Death," she says, laughing.

"Shut up."

"All right you two lovebirds, break it up," says Natsume. Wait, isn't that Naomi's line? Looks like she's had a full blast already.

"Uh… Natsume? Maybe you should lay off the punch now," says Naomi, taking Natsume's glass and dumping it back to the near empty bowl.

Well, this is becoming interesting by the minute. Hanako's now conversing with the lower years, relating something about chocolates. Apparently, she's finished the whole punch bowl by herself. Natsume and Naomi have disappeared somewhere, somehow. I think they're in the closet we happen to have, but I decide not to check, else I might see something I shouldn't. This is getting ridiculous.

"Ryuuji, they're weird when they drink, aren't they?" asks Yuki, laughing.

"Uhuh. This is almost insane," I tell her. "I guess we better keep sober so we can clean up this place after we're done."

I look at my wristwatch and see that it's seven in the evening now. Curfew's been extended for us graduating seniors until twelve, so I guess we can stay.

* * *

Well, I ended up unrolling sleeping bags, anyway. After extracting Natsume and Naomi from our clubroom closet, and dismissing the lower years at eight, Yuki and I ended up cleaning the clubroom and destroying the evidences. Hanako passed out around thirty minutes past seven, so she wasn't much of a help either.

"That was… interesting," I say, looking at our sleeping club mates.

"Yeah, I can't believe we took that long," says Yuki, unrolling another sleeping bag.

"Good thing we're sober, else no one would've cleaned up the place," I say, chuckling.

"We still ended way past curfew, though. Good thing Natsume asked permission from the Student Council beforehand, or else we would be in a lot of trouble right now," says Yuki.

"Yeah. You turning in for the night?" I ask her.

"You should too, Ryuuji, we still have practices tomorrow," she says, laughing.

I roll out our remaining sleeping bag and tuck myself in. As I expected, I don't fit in it, at all. There's a good foot or so missing , and it still feels cold. Braving the elements, I close my eyes and try my best to sleep. I end up getting a small bout of cold when I wake up later on.

* * *

A week after our impromptu club party, I find myself seated with my classmates, each awaiting his or her turn to get the diploma. Wearing our crisp winter uniforms, newly pressed and clean, we all walk up one by one to the stage.

Every student that goes up the stage has his or her own unique disability, something I found amazing. With each diploma was the assurance of a bright future ahead for the students, regardless of his or her disability. Finally, it's my class's turn. As Yuki's name is called, I see her stand and look at me, giving me a small smile. 'Thank you,' was what I got from her smile. I smile back as she walks up the stage, receives her diploma, and gives a small, graceful bow. Finally, it's my turn.

I adjust my glasses, tighten my tie, and walk, as smartly as I could, up the stage to take my diploma. Going up the stage, my vision brightens for a while as my glasses adjust to the light, and I walk forward to take my diploma. I turn to face the crowd, just as practiced, and spot Hisao in his class giving me a thumbs up, and Yuki on her chair, smiling. I smile and give my short bow, and just like that, the formalities of my graduation are done.

A few minutes later, the graduation closes with a speech from our school headmaster, the first time I see him in person. He doesn't look like the person I expected, actually. Rather than being a fat, old man like I thought all headmasters were, he's actually quite young, and fit. Barely older than thirty, I reckon. His speech about our futures, and the hope we bring to Yamaku and all other people like us all around the world ends with an applause. After the singing of our graduation song, and the last singing of Yamaku's school hymn, we throw our mortarboards up in the air. Or we would've, if we wore mortarboards, anyway.

"Yuki!" I call out to her, over the crowd of students and relatives.

"Ryuuji!" she says, reaching out to me. We grasp each other's hands and head off to a quieter place near the back of the event.

"We did it, huh?" I tell her, hugging her with joy.

"Yeah, we did it," she says, smiling.

"Here, take it," I say, plucking out my coat button and giving it to her.

"What's this?" she asks.

"My button. Isn't it a tradition to give the first coat button during graduation or something?"

"I don't know, maybe in middle school, when you guys still wore those imposing military-esque gakurans," she says, laughing. "But thanks, Ryuuji."

"So I guess I'll see you when school starts again? This spring?" I ask her.

"Yeah, I'll be there, Ryuuji. I promise," she says, giving me a small kiss.

Suddenly, FLASH! and the click of a shutter. I know only one person who uses my camera aside from me.

"A-aneki, hi," I say, turning red.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… Ryuuji…" says my sister, grinning. "I think it's about time you introduce Yuki to mom and dad," she adds, pointing to our parents behind her. Oh no.

"W-wait, Ryuuji! No, not yet! I'm not ready!" pleads Yuki as I take her to meet my parents.

"Yuki, you'll be fine, they'll like you!" I tell her, waving to my parents to catch their attention. They wave back and I see my mother giggle, whispering to my father.

Yuki breaks free from my grip and tries to make a run for it. I easily catch up with her and wrap my arms around her waist.

"Ryuuji, no!"

"Yuki, meet your new in-laws!" I tell her, laughing.

The click of my camera's shutter carries over Yuki's protests as I carry her over to my parents.

"Hello, Ryuu-chi, is this your new girlfriend?" asks my mom.

"I approve," says my dad.

"RYUUJI! NOOOOO!" screams Yuki, turning scarlet.

The sky shines a bright blue today, as Yuki and I stand in front of my parents. The beginning of another chapter in the life of Ryuuji Kousaka.

* * *

The cherry blossom petals fall on the ground, blanketing everything in bright pink. I squint through my glasses as I find my way around my new campus, memorizing paths I might need to use again and again.

It's nice here, in this university. It's quite like Yamaku, with the wide open fields, but with a lack of medical facilities. Not that we need them much, anyway. As I walk around my new campus, I can't help but feel a pang of loneliness.

It's almost a month since I last saw Yuki, and that awkward introduction with my parents. That picture of me lifting her up now stands in my bedside table in my dorm room, along with a few other memorabilia from Yamaku.

I go to my usual spot in the university's garden to find someone standing there. Someone I might know. I feel my heart race as I squint through my glasses, trying to make out who would this mystery person be.

Finally, I decide to simply try and call out.

* * *

It's been a month since I last saw Ryuuji, and the first time I saw his parents too. It's been a long month too. My aunt thankfully approved of our relationship once she heard about it. She was even supportive of us, and told me to bring Ryuuji back home someday. I definitely will, in revenge.

I take out my trusty cane and walk around this campus which I'll be staying for the next few years of my life. I don't know when Ryuuji will be here, but I sure hope it's soon. I can't stand the thought of another week passing without him. I find myself a nice spot in the school's garden where I stand around, watching the cherry blossoms fall to the ground. They say it falls at a rate of five centimeters per minute.

As I watch and breath in the scent of spring, I hear someone call my name.

"Yuki?"

That voice… could it be?

* * *

"Yuki?" I call out.

The person looks startled, and turns around, slowly, but gracefully. In her hand is a cane, a very familiar cane.

"Ryuuji?" she responds.

I make out her features now. Yuki. My Yuki, a month later and still as beautiful as ever. She walks towards me and I take her in my arms. The wind picks up and the petals fly around like pink snow.

"I missed you," I tell her.

"I missed you too," she says, returning my hug.

Yuki's here now and nothing will ever separate us ever again.

"I love you," we both say, and share an intimate moment under the petals of the cherry blossom.

The end of an old chapter, and the start of a new one.

* * *

**Post A/N:  
**

**Well, here it is! The last part to KS:RS! Thank you peoples for making read this first fiction I make. Yeah.**

**^That is intentional bad English, people, in case you didn't notice.**

**So yeah, thanks for reading, especially those who's been following this story since the first day.**

**Happy reading people, and Happy Valentines! (I live in GMT+8 so it may be too early for some)**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)**


	18. Epilogue: Book Ends

**EPILOGUE: Book Ends**

The train's wheels screeching on the rails as it brakes wake me up from my peaceful slumber.

That dream again, huh? I shake my head and reach for my cane. I start to clean up my mess on the table, starting with the brailler and the sheets of my own story. These blank pages carry my most important memories, readable only by a select few. Hopefully, I'll be able to find someone to write this, so that others may read it. I unfold my cane and tap my way out of the train and onto the platform. Thankfully, helpful bystanders and the conductor help me off, seeing as I couldn't see.

I thank the conductor as I hop on the taxi, and make my way to my destination.

The scent of disinfectant.

It's what I always hated about hospitals

I check with the front desk, and ask for her name. Yuki Kousaka. The nurse at the desk informs me of her room and sends someone to help me to it. A short walk through the halls of the hospital and we arrive in front of her door. I thank the nurse and open the door to her room.

"Ryuuji?" I hear her call out softly as I enter.

I smile at the sound of her voice, and feel my way towards her bed. I feel around her bed and hold her hand. I hear her chuckle softly as I stroke her hair with my other hand. Despite not being able to move much anymore, her long dark hair remains as immaculately straight as ever.

"I'm here again, dear," I say, caressing her cheek softly. I feel her smile.

"Was there ever a time you left my side?" she retorts, turning her head slightly to face me.

"How do you feel?" I ask.

"How do you think?" she says, a bit more melancholic than normal.

Spinocerebellar ataxia, a degenerative disease, like mine. Unlike mine, though, hers can actually kill her directly. Her muscle control gradually declined as time passed, and at this stage, she could no longer move her legs, and has minimum control over her upper body movement. Pretty soon, her ability to talk, and to breathe would be gone. And then… the end.

But for now, I should at least make my visit worthwhile for her.

I reach by her bedside table and feel a book.

"You still read, huh?" I say, laughing as I run my fingers across the pages. It's not in braille, so it's no use, but old habits die hard.

She chuckles softly and reaches out for the book slowly. "Old habits die hard, you know. And when you're a former writer, you want to know who's becoming popular, or taking your spot."

I hear her flip through the pages softly, humming a small tune to herself as she reads.

"Who wrote that book, anyway, and what's it about?" I ask.

"Oh, just some old club mate we had back in Yamaku. Hanako Ikezawa, that purple haired girl with the burn scars? She wrote this book about a romance found in chess," she says, stressing out the last part.

A romance found in chess, huh? The white knight taking the queen or something?

I lean down and rest my head near hers, and let my hand lie on her chest, feeling her slow breathing. I smile as I breathe in her scent, and feel her hand reach up to caress my cheek.

"I wish we could go on walks again," she says, a her voice tinged with sadness. "How is our daughter?"

"She's fine, I left her with the parents," I say. "She's doing quite well in school, something she got from her mother, obviously."

Yuki pouts, or at least I think she does, at my comment.

"I'm not that smart, you know. You're better at the brainy stuff, remember? I just write."

"She joined the school paper too," I add, smiling.

Yuki's hand on my cheek squeezes gently, and lets go.

"I don't think I'll be here for long, dear," she says.

"Don't say that. You'll see her graduate. And you'll see your grandchildren. And-"  
I push on, denying the inevitable. Yuki hushes me with a finger, and pulls me closer.

"Don't be silly, dear. Besides, I'm happy," she says, giving me a small peck on the cheek.

"Why?" I ask, holding back my tears.

"Because I met you. Because I was able to live my life fully, with you. Because you… gave me a daughter, a perfectly healthy daughter who I was able to live with, even for a few years. Because you showed me… that life truly is precious. That every day truly is a gift. Every hour's golden. Every minute's a diamond."

That saying. I think it was Saki Enomoto who made it popular in the school. A fellow student who had the same disease as my wife. She passed away a year ago, in the presence of her husband, and two children.

I couldn't hold it in, after hearing that confirmation from her, after hearing her accept her death so willingly. She unsteadily wipes away my tears, and I rest my head on her chest.

"Don't cry, dear. I hate it when you cry," she says, gently stroking my hair. "Smiiile!" she says.

She's probably beaming right now, the same way she always did back when I was sad in Yamaku. Back when I could still see her with my own eyes. I smile at this memory and reach for her bedside table again, searching for one item.

A small wooden music box, which I bought for her during my stay in Yamaku.

I smile as my fingers run across its sides, tracing the carvings.

"You still kept this by your bedside?" I ask her, switching it on.

"Of course," she said, taking it from me. "What else would I have done with one of my most treasured possessions?"

I listen quietly to the music box and find myself resting on her tummy again. She rests her hands on me and gently pats, like a mother bringing her children to sleep.

We stay like this for a couple more moments, basking in each other's presence. Pretty soon, I find her steady breathing relaxing, her body heat warming, and the tinny melody from the music box alluring, and I soon fall asleep.

I wake up finding her asleep, and a quick inquiry at my phone tells me that visiting hours are nearly over. I'd hate to leave her while she's sleeping so I gently shake her awake. She groggily opens her eyes and looks at her bedside clock.

"Is it time, dear?" she asks.

"Unfortunately," I say. I give her a quick kiss, and a hug. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

She smiles sadly, and lets me go. "You're never away, dear," she says, turning on the music box as I close her door slowly, wishing I could see her face, even for one last time.

That was the last time I would hear my wife's voice clearly.

* * *

Two days after that, as I left my office at the university, a call came in.

I rushed to the hospital as quick as I could, cursing the slow commute and my disability. Yui, our daughter, would understand. She was old enough to commute home, anyway. I arrive at the hospital an hour and a half after the call came in.

My wife lay on her bed, unmoving. Her systems have finally failed, and she was on life support. As per her wishes, her life support would be taken off, once I give the okay. The doctors leave us for privacy.

I don't cry. I stop myself before I could. She'd hate me if I do. I just hold her hand softly, and tell her my last words to her.

"I love you."

Her eyes shine at these, and tears flow out. I wipe them off.

Slowly, with the last of the power she could muster, she tries to raise her hand while I lean closer.

Three soft taps. "I… love… you…" she whispers softly, her words echoing her taps. Then her hand slides down, and stays still by her side. She nods faintly, and closes her eyes. I promise her that I would take care of our daughter the best I could, and call in the doctors.

I walk out of the room, and slump on the bench outside her door. I cry, for the first, and last time about her death, I cry.

The heart monitor's beeps slow down gradually, until it finally whistles a single mournful tone.

But beyond the mournful tone of the monitor, a tinny melody can be heard. Yuki's music box, playing its owner's last wish, for the last time.

* * *

The breeze kicks up and I feel my coat flap around me. It's been three years since the day of that phone call, and Yui stands with me in front of the weathered gravestone of her mother. She holds my hand as I remember memories, and smile.

"Dad, I think we should go," she says, tugging at my hand. Her voice is soft, caring like her mother's. I let myself be pulled away from my memories.

Yui grew up to be a fine woman, and is now in her last year of high school. Despite her parents' misfortunes, she has had no disabilities thus far.

Though she did inherit her father's love for science, and her mother's affinity for writing.

At the age of thirty five, I lost my wife to Spinocereberal ataxia. But with her love, I have raised our daughter. So it really isn't just the end of my journey. I've still got a few more years ahead of me, and this is really just a new chapter for me.

This is just the beginning.

This is my story… as I saw it with my own eyes.

-FIN-

* * *

**Post A/N:  
**

**Okay, I lied. This is the *true* end to KS:RS, though it's already an epilogue OF AN EPILOGUE from the last part.**

**And some random trivia: this is the first part of KS:RS I wrote, so it may have a different writing style than the last chapters of the main story.**

**Happy reading! And Happy Valentines!**

**-M.Q.A. (skittleslol)**


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